Lost in Darkness
by The Awesome Frost Ninja
Summary: One who never fell prey to the darkness ,falls furtherst away from the light. When the darkness takes its grip on Sora will Kairi and Riku manage to save him or will he be lost forever? SoraXKairi
1. To Begin With

Sora and Riku had been travelling worlds after they both had shown the mark of mastery. Looking to find Xehanort picking on his trail. The trail being turning people to stone with his keyblade, keeping their hearts preserved to create something that was still a mystery to everyone.

Sora and Riku had defeated 3 of his leader followers out of 5. Slowy finding the key to defeating Xehanort.

"No way, were too late Xehanorts turned everyone to stone." Riku informed Sora.

Twilight Town had been consumed by the darkness at spat back out.

Everybody was turned to stone because of Xehanort and his followers.

They were in the Town Square people around them faces were caught with horror.

Just the thought of how frightened they were would put prickles on the back of any spine.

Sora said quietly but loud enough for Riku to hear, "How can someone be so evil and consumed by selfish desires, of darkness."

Riku slightly flinched at what Sora said, remembering how he gave into the darkness. Still he thought to himself if he was even worthy of being labelled a master.

Suddenly looking up with determination Sora said postively "Come on Riku, we should look around if anyone is...not stone."

Riku gave off a small smile and replied "Yeah I guess, you go left."

Riku thought to himself _'Sora you has such powerful light in your heart, you never give up do you.'_

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><p>The two friends went on different paths, Sora on the left and Riku on the right.<p>

Not knowing it, Riku had just made a big mistake on seperating him and Sora.

As a dark figure on the clock tower evilly smiled at the two and chuckled to himself.

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><p>After searching around for 10 minutes, Sora had gone in a familar alleway and joyous heard laughing.<p>

Jumping at the sudden laughing, he began to run to the source.

He found himself at the hideout of Hayner,Pence and Olette. He saw all of them laughing with Roxas.

Then suddenly the figures of all of them turned to their stone selves and Roxas disappeared.

Sora then said outloud to himself "Mickey did say I could retrieve memories that aren't mine. Roxas you miss them, don't you."

As Sora felt himself slightly smile because of Roxas, he heard movement behind him, in a second Sora summoned the his keyblade and turned around.

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><p>Nothing appeared behind he then heard someone behind begin to say "You certainly are a problem."<p>

Sora quickly turned back around to see Xehanort about just 2 feet away from him. Sora surprised jumped back and held the keyblade in a defensive way.

Xehanort just laughed and said "Ventus is in your heart, thats very interesting."

"Ventus?" Sora asked confused, but he didn't let his guard down.

Xehanort summoned his keyblade and exclaimed "I hope your better then your friend."

Sora flinched and yelled "What did you do to Riku?"

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><p><em>5 minutes earlier...<em>

_Riku was suspecting a person that was stone as Xehanort appeared behind him, Riku summoned his keyblade and swung around to ge Xehanort. Xehanort blocked it. he then tried to strike, but Riku attempted to knock it out of his hand. Seeing an opening, he pushed Riku into a portal he quickly summoned and said as Riku began to fade,_

_"I have no use in destorying you, I'm after your friend."_

_"What do you want with Sora?" Riku beginning to completely fade._

_Xehanort just smirked at him and Riku disappeared as well as the portal._

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><p>"Right now your only concern, should be your life." Xehanort shouted.<p>

They both ran for each other and as soon as their keyblades met, they were both blown backwards slamming on the wall.

Sora got up as quick as he could and thought to himself _'what was that.'_

Xehanort got up a moment after Sora and look at him with an evil smirk.

Xehanort then said "Vanitas you should now understand what to do."

Before Sora could even say anything Xehanort created a portal and entered it.

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><p>Sora put away the kingdom key and ran around Twilight Town yelling "Riku, Riku are you here?" everywhere in Twilight Town.<p>

He was nowhere to be found.

When Sora stopped to catch his breath he thought_ 'Who is Ventus and Vanitas?'._

Sora then shut his eyes and heard a dark laugh in his mind. His eyes snapped open, shocked at the laugh.

Not knowing it, it was Vanitas. Now awakened.

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><p><strong>I plan to get longer chapters, and thank you for reading. PLZ review.<strong>


	2. Three Friends Reunite

**I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

**Also just a few notes:**

**This story will contain SoraXKairi pairing**

**Sora and Riku's relationship is NOT yaoi in this story, but you will see a bestfriend/brotherly relationship between them. Not a homosexual relationship.**

**(Sorry yaoi fans, this isn't a yaoi story)**

**Also this is a double long chapter 2 so other chapters will be sometimes smaller.**

**Also Please Review.**

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><p>Sora's eyes snapped open, was it his imagination?<p>

He wasn't sure but he to him it felt somewhat familar and also felt strange. As if he were different. But most of all the most noticable sense of complete darkness.

All those thoughts were shattered when suddenly a portal appeared infront of him. It looked like a dark pathway portal but had light around the edges.

Sora curiously glance at it with many thoughts of questions. _'Where did this come from? Could it lead me to Riku?'_

Hoping that it will lead to where Xehanort sent Riku, Sora cautiously walked into the portal.

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><p><em>'What is this I feel...Something so familar... Where...am I?'<em>

Riku's eyes began flutter open and his vision cleared as he stood up, he was in somewhere he reckonized.

In the dark realm pathway corridors that lead to other worlds.

He stood staring at a pathway of absolute darkness, it was the only way out. The rest was just an empty void of darkness.

Riku shook his head and yelled "No! I will not go through the darkness!" Talking to no one in particular, the darkness responded.

The darkness tried to devour him, Riku felt constricted, he couldn't move. _'Is this how it ends? Being consumed by darkness?'_

Just as the darkness was about to touch him, something happened. Riku felt not the ice cold grip of darkness, but something warm and bright. A light surrounded Riku protecting him, Riku slightly gasped in shock as the darkness cowarded away from the light. The portal of darkness was consumed by this light and the portal became light.

Riku spared no extra second and ran into the light. He was engulfed in light, as he shielded his eyes it began to dim and he heard a familar sound.

Waves.

He let his arm swing down and saw yet another familar place, he was at the sea shore at Destiny Islands. He was home.

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><p>"See you later Kairi I need to check up on Tidus and Wakka."<p>

"Okay see you later."

Kairi still wore her normal Kingdom Hearts 2 attire and Selphie wore the same clothes in the first game.

Kairi gentlely waved from a distance as Selphie skipped off merrily.

Then Kairi went back to walking to the sea shore. Ever since Sora and Riku left she would always wait near the sea shore, always waiting. She hated it of course but it was all she could do besides believe in them.

She always hoped that one day, one of them would show up.

Little did she know today that wish was about to come true.

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><p>She kept walking lost in thoughts of her friends return, until she saw a figure on the beach. She wondered who it was and managed to get a closer look. Kairi almost felt her heart stop.<p>

"It can't...be...Riku?"

Although Kairi said it so quietly Riku turned as a response to his name.

Seeing his face Kairi couldn't stop her large smile from growing.

"Riku!" She called out running towards him, she almost tackled him down with her tight hug.

Riku was quite shocked, he did not expect this, it felt nice though.

She let go of him and said "Riku, your back does that mean the troubles over?"

"Not exactly." Riku quietly murmured, Kairi didn't hear and asked something that caught him off guard "Hey, wheres Sora?"

Riku flinched, it reminded him about Xehanort wanting him, panic began to rise in him. It didn't go unoticed by Kairi.

Suddenly fearing herself about Sora's safety she asked the question again with a more serious tone "Riku...Wheres Sora?"

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><p>Riku lightly stuttered and said "W-well h-he-"<p>

He was stopped in mid sentence when both Kairi and Riku noticed a dark pathway portal appeared beside them. It was a mix of light and dark. They both defensively raised their arms when they saw someone coming out, Riku thought it was one of Xehanort's followers.

But it was better then that. It was Sora.

"Sora!" Riku and Kairi both yelled, in surprise for Kairi and slight relief for Riku.

Sora was so surprised to see Kairi more then Riku and especially surprise when Kairi suddenly gave him a crushing hug.

If his blood circulation wasn't being cut off by Kairi's crushing hug he would of blushed.

She began to crush his bones more when she bean asking "Are you okay? Is everything alright? Are the worlds safe?"

Sora out of all that only managed to cough out "Kairi-can't-breathe!"

Kairi nervously giggled releasing her grip from Sora, not wanting to let go.

"Riku got me scared something had happened to you." Kairi clarrified explaining why the hug was so crushing.

Sora slightly tilted his head in confusion, Riku finally moved from his shocked stage and went to his serious one.

He grabbed Sora by his shoulders, "Did Xehanort do anything to you?" It sounded more of a demand then a question. The look on Riku's face made Sora worried.

"I fought him if thats what you mean then he disappeared, he said a lot of wierd stuff."

He could see relief wash over his face coming out with a small smile as he thought _'Well at least I know hes okay, But I'll have to ask him later about every detail.'_

Snapping out of his thoughts he then grabbed Sora around the neck and gave him a friendly noogie, "Thats for scaring me like that." Riku playfully laughed.

After Riku finished his noogie Kairi sadly sighed at the two "So I guess you have to go again..."

Sora and Riku exchanged looks and Sora said "Come on Kairi we'll be back before you know it." And with this he did his biggest and brightest smile.

"But before we can go Sora, we need to find away to get off Destiny Islands. The keyhole of the island may have been opened but we still don't have a way off."

Sora sighed and slumped down replying back "Oh yeah we were travelling with Donald and Goofy in the Gummi Ship."

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><p>A huge shadow casted over the three, Sora didn't seem to notice. Kairi lightly tapped on his shoulder to make him look up. Sora looked up to see the Gummi Ship landing in the sand.<p>

They all looked at each other and ran to ship, Donald walking out ranting to Goofy "I told you spliting up was a bad idea."

"Me? Donald that was your idea!" Goofy retorted back with his goofy laugh.

The three friends giggled at them catching their attention.

"There you are! We needed Yen Sid to locate you." Donald whinned at Sora.

"We haven't been gone that long." Sora assumed.

"Sora, we searched for you'en Riku everywhere." Goofy mentioned.

"So we went back to Yen Sid to find you, he also told us that when you were both found to report back to him straight away!" Donald was itching to go they were in a rush.

"I'm coming too."

The sudden outburst made all eyes go to its source. Kairi.

"Kairi-"

Kairi cut him off "No Riku! I'm not going to always wait for you I can help!" Kairi protested.

She saw all the unsure faces surrounding her, she then continued "I now have a secret weapon."

Kairi summoned a keyblade to everyones surprise, they were absolutely shocked.

It was the flower keyblade she used in the world that never was. Destiny's Embrace.

"See I can fight!" Kairi persuaded, she managed to win this arguement knowing that she wouldn't take no for an answer and she was following her heart.

"So I guess its the five of us now." Sora stated grinning happily. Trying to cover up his concern for Kairi's safety.

They all managed to fit in the Gummi Ship and headed to Yen Sid's castle. Goofy and Donald did the driving while Sora,Kairi and Riku stood near the exit door in a small semi circle.

"So when did you first summon the keyblade?" Riku and Sora were dying to know, Kairi giggled and began "Well one day there was trouble at our secret place at our island, looking at the pictures we drew when, heartless appeared out of nowhere. They were surrounding me and thats when it just appeared in my hand. I fought the heartless and since then I've been able to summon it."

"Who knew Kairi could summon a keyblade." Riku thought out loud making Kairi giggle. Though it questiond Sora too. Like how did the heartless get to the island and how exactly gave her this ability.

_**'Having a keyblade won't matter in the**_** end.'**

Sora was suddenly alarmed hearing this voice in his mind, Somewhere deep in his heart conflict was happenning.

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><p><em>In Sora's awakenning...<em>

_A boy much like Roxas stood across from this mysterious, dark figure with a helmet covering his identity._

_"How are you here?" He growled at the figure, he knew who he was and that he wanted Sora._

_The figure didn't move nor speak. But after a while it finally spoke "Now now Ventus, I think we both know my master did this and that his darkness is feeding me. Making me stronger. Sooner or later this boys body will be mine."_

_"You think I'm going to stand here and let you destroy him, Vanitas!" Ventus shouted at him summoning Wayward Wind and ran at him._

_Vanitas summoned his keyblade Void Gear and blocked his keyblade pushing him back "I guess I'll have the pleasure of smushing you before I take over him." Vanitas remarked as the both ran at each other with keyblade in hand. Focused on a battle over Sora._

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><p>Sora had a unbearable feeling of dread wash over him.<p>

Before anyone could notice Sora's change of emotion Donald squwacked "Were here!"

They all walked into Yen Sid's study, "Masters Sora and Riku, I see you've brought a guest."

"Um yes sir, I'm Kairi."

Yen Sid slightly smiled and said "Yes I know, I also know about how you can summon a keyblade."

"How do you know that master Yen Sid?" Donald asked.

"That can be a time for later, but for now I would think your wondering why I summoned you here." He took a short pause and continued, "Xehanort is planning something and it involves a lot of people."

"What is it?" The two friends said in unison. Yen Sid continued "Its to my thoughts that he's going to try and repeat the past, trying to forge an all powerful keyblade that can summon kingdom hearts anywhere to its user. How he plans on creating it I don't know how but he indeed is trying again. Sora, Riku I believe that Xehanort is trying to forge this keyblade at a place of keyblades."

He took a pause looking unsure to say it or not he ended up finishing anyway.

"The Keyblade Graveyard."

_The Keyblade Graveyard..._

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><p><strong>Please Review!<strong>


	3. Darkness Begins to Rise Part 1

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

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><p><em>The Keyblade Graveyard<em>

The name sounded so familar to Sora yet he knew he had never heard of it.

"Sora take these coordinates to the Gummi Ship, The keyhole should be open."

As Yen Sid said this he magically summoned a small scroll, Sora took it and ran off.

"Donald, Goofy and Kairi could you please take Kairi for a few test, I would like to see how much she's progressed."

"Of course." They all said in unison leaving the room. Kairi didn't have a good feeling about it.

Riku was about to follow them out until Yen Sid said "Wait a moment Riku, I need to speak with you."

Riku slightly tilted his head and asked "Yes Master Yen Sid, what is it?"

Yen Sid took a small breath and began "Riku I want you to watch Sora."

Riku's experssion changed to a serious one and he said "Of course, but why?"

"There are things connected to Sora in that place. If he shows any signs of them awakening. Bring him back here right away. They will come at their own time, if they are forced to the surface...His heart might begin to collasp and he'll be lost in the dark."

Riku was awfully shocked he would not let this happen to him, not as long as he could prevent it. Darkness would not take his bestfriend as it took him.

"You must also not tell Sora of this, it would only assist in making it happen."

He nodded understanding, Yen Sid wished him luck and he left out the door.

The lingering thought of darkness floated in Riku's mind.

_'What is darkness then anger and hate.'_

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><p>"You took your time." Sora smirked as Riku entered the gummi ship. "Lets just go." Riku mumbled as if he were grumpy.<p>

The sudden change in Riku's attitude made Sora suspicious but he just shrugged it off.

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><p>The flight there was complete silence between the two, it was uncomfortable for both of them. Riku was examining Sora if his exppersion changed, after what Yen Sid told him he went to over protective mode.<p>

"Were here." Sora managed to cough out as if under pressure.

He could feel Riku's eyes burning through the back of his skull. They exited the Gummi Ship in awe. The place looked like a wasteland. They landed near an edge of a cliff. Sora ran to the edge like an excited child exclaiming "WOW!"

Both Riku and Sora had a good view of the keyblades below them. Having a closer look down below they saw a familar unconscious figure.

"King Mickey!" Riku shouted as he saw him, the two jumped from the cliff seemingly defying gravity they were both unharmed and ran over to the king.

The king had his keyblade in hand looking pretty beat. Something attacked him.

Both Riku and Sora had the assumtion that it was Xehanort, meaning that he was close so they were on their guard.

Riku seemed to ran faster than Sora and to to him first. They both kneeled beside him almost begging for him to awake "Your majesty! Your majesty!"

The only response they got was a soft moan that was as quiet as a breath. The two seemed to hear it and felt slight relief.

"Come on we better get him out of here." Riku picked up the mouse and began to carry him back to the Gummi Ship.

Riku was only a few feet away till he realized Sora wasn't walking behind him.

He stared at the distant keyblades as if in a trance.

"Sora, come on."

There was no response.

Sora seemed oblivious to anything around him as he focused on the keyblades, it was all to familar.

The keyblades seemed to slowly fade leaving only one standing in the centre of them all. It was a cross of two kingdom key's with some sort of sword for the blade.

Sora's eyes widened in shock as he felt sadness and dread, it almost overwhelmed him.

This is when Riku began to worry, "Sora!" He called out once again and it seemed he managed to snap Sora out of it.

"R-right I'm coming!" Sora quickly dashed towards his side and Riku asked as they walked beside each other "What was that about?"

Sora seemed heisitant to tell him but said "I don't know just a weird feeling I guess. Its probably nothing."

He didn't like lying but he just assumed that it was all in his head, but he didn't really seem to convince himself.

Riku nodded wanting so bad to believe that it was nothing.

They got back to the gummi ship in one piece and set Mickey down carefully.

"We should get him back to Yen Sid after we-" Riku was cut off realising Sora had left.

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><p>Sora saw as Riku was about to place Mickey down. But time seemed to stop before Sora was about to call out to Riku he saw a figure outside the Gummi Ship walking away.<p>

"Hey!" Sora called out as he ran. He scanned the area and saw to figure running out the distance.

Sora's legs began to move on their own and he ran after the figure.

He kept running until he got to a clearing of a wide open space.

* * *

><p>Sora examined his surroundings words began to echo in his head,<p>

_'Forge the-'_

_'The unversed come from y-'_

_'You and I will have to join together.'_

What was this all really about?

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><p><em>Sora's awakening<em>

_The two fighters panted at all the effort they both gave. They were evenly matched._

_Catching his breath Vanitas began to laugh much to Ventus' confusion._

_"Whats so funny?" Ventus yelled annoyed at his darkness._

_Vanitas just stopped laughing and replied "The boy is at the place of where we forged the X-blade. The place where a part of me lingers."_

_"What!"_

_"Either way I win Ventus. He will be mine. If the part of me is defeated it's power would just flow back into me, so then I would be able to defeat you and take over from the inside. Either way the power comes right back to me."_

_Ventus yelled to the top of his lungs "How can their be apart of you out there when you're here?"_

_Vanitas laughed again and chose to tell him just to see his reaction "When Xehanort awoke me and you in his battle with the kid he extracted some of my being when their keyblades had a collision. Thats why they were both blown back. So that part would come back stronger so really you never stood a chance against me Ventus. This isn't even my full strength, weakling!"_

_Ventus ignored his comment and stated "Even if you do defeat me it doesn't mean I can't delay you. Even if you do Sora's stronger then you think!"_

_Vanitas snickered and laughed "Not if I take whats precious to him."_

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><p>Sora stared towards the figure, he was masked and the darkness was pouring from his body. Sora trembled slightly, why did this feel so familar.<p>

He shook his head and summoned his keyblade ready to fight. The figure then summoned a keyblade from the leaking darkness.

"A keyblade?" Sora exclaimed in shock, the figure than began to run at him. Sora managed to block him off. As the two were having the collision Sora spat out,

"W-who are you?"

"Someone from the dark." The dark keyblade wielder replied.

Sora almost gasped, that voice. He knew it, but whose was it?

But he knew now was no time for lingering over thoughts like that.

He pushed back with all his strength against his opponents keyblade. It flew out of the enemies hands and Sora finished with a final slash. It was like the figure wanted to be defeated. All Sora heard was distance laughing as the figure just vanished in darkness.

Sora all of a sudden felt a tightness in his chest, his vision began to blur and then got a pounding pain in his head.

All the pain got to much for him and he fainted.

Lingering darkness from the figure vanishing slithered its way to Sora and sunk into him.

Returning back to Vanitas purposely.

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><p>"This is bad." Riku kept repeating to himself as he ran around looking for Sora.<p>

"Sora! Sora!" he called out in a desperate attempt to find him.

He kept running and running until he froze at a clearing. He saw a still form in the distance, lying on the ground completely still.

"Sora!" He called out running towards him.

Riku's knees collasped beside Sora as he frantically started to yell as he shook him by his shoulders,

"Sora! Come on buddy wake up. Sora!"

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><p><em>Sora's awakening<em>

_Ventus stared in shock at Vanitas as he watched darkness slipping into him._

_Vanitas laughed and chuckled "The power of the darkness. The time has come."_

_Ventus angerily glared at Vanitas and began to charge at him with much fury. Vanitas blocked him and finished him off with a final slash. Ventus had been defeated. Ventus knocked out cold began to sink deep into Sora's heart, much to Vanitas' statisfaction._

_Suddenly an unconcious Sora began to gracefully float down and land on the platform._

_Vanitas felt victories as he walked towards him._

_He tried to touch Sora but was zapped by the light with him. Vanitas' helmet just melted away showing his smirk._

_"I see so this will take time, but now that my darkness grows stronger your light will become weaker."_

_Darkness began to seep out of Vanitas and started to surround Sora, slowly seeping in to him._

**_"Sora! Come on buddy wake up. Sora!"_**

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><p>Sora heard this and was immediately sucked back into his physical body.<p>

He began to slowly open his eyes to find himself in a different surrounding, he looked to his left to see king Mickey lying next to him.

He then realised he was in the Gummi Ship. Sora quietly got up and saw who was driving and asked,

"Riku?"

Snapping him out of his concentration Riku sighed in relief, "You're awake! What happened to you? I found you unconscious and brought you back to the Gummi Ship."

Sora just shook his head and replied, "I don't really remember. But I'm fine, How's the king?"

Riku didn't like that he change the subject but answer back, "I used curaga magic on him but he'll need proper treament back with Yen Sid."

Sora nodded in response to this, he then went to kneel beside the king.

"So whats the last thing you remember?" Riku was egar for answers, he had a feeling Sora was hidding something.

Sora looked slightly annoyed and answered "I went to the clearing then nothing."

He halfed lied. It wasn't completely true. The last thing he could remember was someone saying something about his light growing weaker as darkness got stronger. Or at least thats all he heard from a muffled voice.

Sora had never been a good liar, but since it wasn't a complete lie it seemed to him that Riku believed him.

Riku had a dreadful feeling though, very dreadful.

Before Riku could ask anymore questions in private he realised he just landed the ship.

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><p>Riku picked up the king and carried him out, he walked in the tower as Sora was far behind him. Just when he was about to follow Riku in he heard something. It was like a whisper.<p>

He turned and looked around, he took a few steps out into a more open space and took another look.

"Sora."

Sora summoned his keyblade as he turned around, to only find it was Kairi.

Sora lowered his keyblade and smiled "Kairi you scared me."

Kairi continued to stare at him with a blank face, no emotion at all.

Sora growing slightly concerned asked "Kairi?"

"You did this to me." Kairi replied with no emotion at all.

Just as Sora was going to ask what was going on Kairi was engulfed by darkness.

Even before he could react he saw Riku appear infront of him,

"Riku? Whats happening?"

Riku seemed to angerily growl at Sora and yell, "What have you done to Sora?"

"Wha-"

"Answer me!" Riku hissed at him.

"What are you talking about?" Sora replied with much confusion.

"Shut up!" Riku spat, "Your nothing but a pawn of the darkness!"

Riku summoned 'Soul Eater' and charged at Sora.

Sora prepared himself for the clash but Riku was engulfed by darkness before he could strike. "Whats happening!" Sora whimpered to himself. As he continuely heard Kairi's voice sneer at him,

_**"You will always be worthless, you were never meant to be a keyblade wielder. You are nothing. Nothing compared to anyone. Riku is better than you, even Xehanort. You are a pathetic weakling! I hate you!"**_

He let his keyblade vanish and fell to his knees, he buried his face into his hands.

_**"I hate you!"**_

"No, this isn't real." Sora told to himself, "This isn't real, get out of my head! You're just an illusion!"

_**"I'm no illusion Sora! You are truely nothing! I wish I only met Riku, I regret becoming friends with you! You will never be able to save anyone! I HATE YOU! Just fade into darkness where you belong! I wish you stayed a heartless, I regret saving you! Let yourself fade, fade into nothing. In darkness is the place you truely belong."**_

Sora than began to see visions of people he felt he somehow knew all reaching out to him through darkness begging for him to join them.

While lost in confusion Sora buried his face further in to his hand and also pressed them down into the ground. He didn't notice darkness beginning to surround him, waiting till he would get slightly weaker to engulf him.

Vanitas' plan seem too have been going to a very good start.

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><p>Kairi saw the Gummi Ship land outside from a window and was followed by Donald and Goofy as they walked down the staircase to greet them back. Kairi had a bad feeling that something was wrong, not with Riku but she was getting the bad feeling from Sora.<p>

As Riku was walking up the very long staircase he saw Kairi, Donald and Goofy walking down. A big smile grew on Kairi's face and she warmly welcomed Riku back.

"King Mickey!" Both Donald and Goofy exclaimed at the same time as they looked with worry at their king. Kairi tilted her head than asked,

"Hey, where's Sora?"

"No wonder its been so quiet.." Riku replied as he looked behind himself.

"He's probably still outside."

"And you only notice now that he wasn't behind you?" Kairi burned a glare at Riku, only because she was worried about Sora.

"Well I'm sure he's fi-"

Riku stopped in mid sentence, his nose began twitching.

"What's wrong?" Donald asked.

"I smell darkness." Riku admitted. Kairi was slapped with realization "Oh-no Sora!" she gasped.

That made Riku realize as well "Donald, Goofy take the Mickey to Yen Sid. Kairi and I will see whats going on."

Riku threw Mickey to Goofy like a sack of potatoes and then began to sprint down the stairs with Kairi hot on his heels.

_'I should have never left him alone! Why didn't I notice! After what happen in the Keyblade Graveyard...I'm so stupid! __Sora hang on!'_

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><p><strong>Will they get to Sora in time? I'm not telling, I love torturing Sora for some reason. Wow I am a terrible person. XD <strong>

**Please Review!**


	4. Darkness Begins to Rise Part 2

**I Do Not Own Kingdom Hearts.**

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><p>If anyone could see how fast Riku and Kairi were running it would have been a blur. They had to get to Sora. The smell of darkness was very overwhelming for Riku as he got closer to the door.<p>

Both Kairi and Riku didn't stop to open the door they both seemed to run into it, it surprisingly flew open considering they just bulldozed into it.

"SORA!" They both yelled to see darkness surrounding him. He didn't seem to hear them as the darkness right then and there swallowed him whole.

"No!" Riku yelled as he tried to reach it in time, but it vanished before he could reach it.

Sora was gone. Swallowed by darkness.

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><p>Sora felt as if he were floating and falling at the same time.<p>

Vanitas had him in his grasp. His plan was falling together so perfectly.

In the depths of his heart Vanitas did something that would ultimately effect Sora.

He seemed to put his memories in a reverse sequence and they flashed before Sora's eyes before the chains were removed.

"Who am I?" Sora's voice echoed as if it were his thoughts.

"Friendship?"

"Whats happening?" He asked himself so very weakly and that is when Vanitas' influence took its hold.

"I have no friends..." As he said this his last memory of Donald and Goofy slipped away.

"I'm nothing..."

"I'm no hero..." As he said this his memory of recieving the keyblade seem to go in reverse right back until he was reaching out for...He didn't remember whom.

Then the most precious memories flashed before him, All his cherished memories of Kai-.

All his memories of when they met to the very last one of her smile.

Sora's eyes became a dull blue, lifeless yet still alive. As lifeless as a puppet. He just exsited.

Vanitas laughed "Sora's under my control."

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><p>This couldn't be happening. Could it?<p>

How Sora had darkness around him would be a question they wouldn't be able to answer.

Riku slammed his fist onto the ground grumbling "Dammit!"

While Kairi stood there still in shock. Many thoughts ran through both their minds. Like where did the darkness come from? Why didn't he say anything about it before?

But they both knew that if Sora had a problem he wouldn't tell anyone because he felt it would burden them. He usually kept it in.

That was one of Sora's ultimate flaws, which lead to what happened.

"I should have noticed. I knew something was wrong but I didn't act on it. Its all my fault!"

Riku couldn't help but blame himself, Kairi put a reassuring hand on his shoulder as Riku continueously slammed his fist on the ground.

Donald and Goofy came running outside with there weapons in hand, but a soon as they saw Riku slamming his fist on the ground they knew instantly what had happened.

Then all of a sudden they all felt a pain in their hearts, it didn't hurt but it was like an empty feeling.

"Sora." They all called out knowing. They knew he was in trouble but there was nothing they could do.

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><p>They knew they had to get to Yen Sid to tell him, they all planned to search all worlds until they found Sora. They entered the room to see King Mickey resting against a wall and explained to Yen Sid what happened.<p>

"I see, so the keyblade graveyard had more effect on him then I realized."

They all hung their heads to the ground, except Riku.

"Master Yen Sid I don't actually think it was the Keyblade Graveyard that made Sora collasp in darkness. It was something going on within him, before we went there. Going there just made it worse."

"Worse like what daya mean?"

It was the king speaking, he seemed to have awakened during the explaination. Usually they all would have been overjoyed that he was okay but under the circumstances they couldn't find the strength to smile.

"I found him unconsious at a clearing and when he woke up in the Gummi Ship he said that he didn't remember what happened after he got to the clearing."

"Well did you see him?" The king asked leaving Riku slightly confused. "Who?"

"The lingering darkness of Vanitas."

"What!" Donald and Goofy yelled in unison, the king continued "When I went to the Keyblade Graveyard looking for Xehanort, Vanitas' lingering darkness appeared before me. I asked what did he want. He said 'Sora'."

Everybody gasped at this new found information, "So if you didn't see him Riku he must have gotten to Sora first."

Kairi finally cut into the conversation "Wait how is it possible that this Vanitas guy could get to Sora. His heart is to strong for that."

Mickey answered "Well if Yen Sid and I are correct Vanitas would have been dormant within Sora for a long time now, as well as Ventus."

"Ven?" Both Donald and Goofy yelled. All this information was new to them as well as Riku and Kairi.

"Whose Ven?" Kairi asked. Yen Sid finally got into the conversation and began to explain,

"Ventus was one of three keyblade wielders, 11 years ago they were torn from eachother by Xehanort. Terra a brave young man lost himself to the darkness in Xehanort's heart, a beautiful young lady Aqua wandering the realm of darkness after sacrificing herself to try and save Terra. Then there was Ventus. A young boy filled with light. He lost his heart saving his friends from his darkness, Vanitas. He was split into two by Xehanort in hopes to create the ultimate X-blade."

"What has this got to do with Sora?" Not that Riku didn't find this information interesting but he was in a rush.

"Everything!" Yen Sid shot back making Riku flinch.

"Everything is connected to Sora. Including Ventus."

Mickey than began to continue from Yen Sid,

"Yup. I believe that Ventus' heart rests within Sora's heart. But that means that Vanitas does too. I think Xehanort knew this and planned this from the beginning."

All this information was a lot to take in, Riku grew slightly mad and angrily asked "Why didn't you tell us sooner or at least Sora? Because he's now gone!"

Not at all surprised by Riku's angry outburst Mickey calmly continued "As much as we would have liked to, Sora had to find out on his own. Or it would have been forced upon his heart. If that happened Sora's heart would have collasped and thats unrepairable. But Ven survived by connecting his heart with Sora somehow."

Yen Sid then continued from that, "Sora is strong he couldn't have been taken far. My magic can't get through the cloud of darkness which took him. But I would start at Radiant Garden. Donald and Goofy please accompany Riku and Kairi to bring Sora back."

"Sir." They replied back even though they were going to help look for Sora with or without Yen Sid's permission.

They all boarded the Gummi Ship, King Mickey couldn't go because he still needed to heal. He was going to but Yen Sid insisted that he stayed.

Kairi never felt so determined, she wanted him back safe. But in all their hearts they knew that something bad had happened.

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><p>The keyhole had been opened already at Radiant Garden and the fly there was pretty quick.<p>

All this was new to Kairi yet she already seemed used to it.

They walked around to suddenly hear, "I knew it, usually when one comes by another follows."

The group all looked up to the roof to see none other then the great ninja Yuffie.

"Hiya there Yuffie." Goofy greeted as she jumped down to greet them.

Then Riku realised what Yuffie had said and asked, "Wait Yuffie you said when one comes by another follows. Did you see Sora?"

Yuffie frowned and replied "Um sort of, I thought I saw him running to the Bailey I yelled out hi but he just kept on running."

They all went running past Yuffie with great speed. "Thanks Yuffie!" Riku called back as they ran to the Bailey.

While getting near the entrance to the Bailey, Kairi heard something. _"Turn back"_

It sounded like Sora but she assumed it was her imagination. They ran around in the Bailey calling "Sora? Sora!"

No one was there.

Though Riku could smell it again, he would never forget that scent. They all noticed Riku's nose twitching and began to follow him as he followed the scent.

It lead them outside the Bailey to see someone standing on top of the ledge looking at the ground. Donald and Goofy remembered that the organization XIII first stood when they saw them for the first time.

"Sora is that you?" Riku yelled to get a response. It was Sora but he had black hair. The figure looked up to get a shocking gasp from everyone. He was looking right through them with his golden eyes. He was looking at Kairi in particular. He finally spoke, it was a mix of Sora's and his own, "Not quite." He than evilly smirked at them.

This defintely wasn't Sora. This was Vanitas.

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><p><strong>Reviews= More chapters. So please review. <strong>


	5. First Encounter

**I do not own KH -if I did I would make KH III come quicker.**

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><p>Riku felt an overwhelming anger grow with in him as he yelled, "What have you done to Sora?"<p>

Vanitas laughed at him and replied back, "Tsk tsk I would say the real question is what I didn't do."

Out of shear rage at this figure Riku summoned his keyblade Way to Dawn. Vanitas laughed at Riku, "You really think you can beat me?"

Riku was silent. But it meant yes and Vanitas jumped down to them. Donald and Goofy got their weapons up in defence.

Kairi remained still and silent. Vanitas was a few meters away from them and summoned his keyblade Void Gear.

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><p>Riku lunged towards Vanitas with much speed Vanitas was prepared though and he blocked him. The two keyblades clashed and they both pushed against eachother.<p>

Donald and Goofy were going to intervene but they were tackled down by some creatures pinning the two against the ground. They looked like heartless but they were different. They were the unversed.

Riku saw them get tackled and while his concentration was slightly off Vanitas hit him back. While stumbling back the unversed dog piled on him.

Vanitas turned to see Kairi holding her keyblade defencively. She stood her ground at Vanitas' stare.

Through struggling grunts Riku yelled, "Kairi run! He's too strong for us. Go!"

Vanitas smirked at Kairi and cheered, "I guess you're first."

Kairi looked ahead and bravely guarded as he ran at her. He swung many times and Kairi was barely able to stop them. The fifth time their keyblades clashed Vanitas kept pushing her down. Kairi pushed back with much effort but she fell to her knees.

Vanitas saw her unbalance and took his chance to knock her keyblade out of her hand.

The keyblade flew right across the ground. "Say goodbye." Vanitas snarled.

"No!" Riku shouted as Vanitas was preparing his final swing to finish her.

Kairi tightly shut her eyes preparing herself. Was this the end?

But she instead heard sounds of struggling. She looked up to see he had stopped in mid swing.

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><p>Floating darkness, wandering in nothing.<p>

_'What have you done to Sora?'_

"Sora? Who was that? Who said that? I know that voice. But where..."

_'Kairi run! He's too strong for us. Go!'_

"Kairi?... Wait I've heard that name before."

Feelings arised and forced the chains to be reattached. And it clicked. Everything came back.

"Kairi! You're in danger, I can feel it!"

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><p>She looked in confusion at Vanitas, he sounded like he was struggling and his were glued shut. Void Gear vainshed as he clutched his head and fell to his knees.<p>

"N-no I-I w-won't hurt Kairi!" The voice started off with a mix of Sora's and Vanitas' but finished off with just Sora's. Kairi saw as his eyes open, they weren't a piercing gold. They were a soft blue.

She automatically exclaimed, "Sora!"

His eyes snapped shut once again. Clutching his head struggling for control Sora managed to raise one of him hands towards the unversed. he somehow used Vanitas' powers to draw back the unversed. And after that immediately used that hand to clutch his head once again.

As they vanished Riku, Donald and Goofy all ran to the struggling Sora.

"Sora!" Donald and Goofy encouraged. They needed him to fight this.

"Come on Sora fight him!" Riku shouted. He knew Sora was stronger than this.

All his friends voices gave him strength he pushed Vanitas down.

Sora mentally shrieked in his mind _"GET-OUT-OFF-MY-HEAD!"_

Vanitas had no choice but to retreat back into hims heart. Sora one this fight.

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><p>Sora's hair faded back to his normal chocolate brown. His struggling grunts stopped and looked up to meet Kairi's gaze. It was soothing to Sora.<p>

He weakly smiled at her and mumbled, "I did it..." He trailed off letting his exhaustion engulf him. As he fell forwards she caught him and placed his head on her lap.

"Thank goodness." Kairi sighed. Riku also gave a massive sigh of relief, his best friend was okay for the moment. Donald and Goofy were as relieved as Riku. Though reunion was short lived.

They heard sounds of portals opening. Three figures in black cloaks appeared. Riku, Donald and Goofy automatically circled around Sora protectively

Kairi quickly slid Sora's head off her lap without hurting him and joined in the protective circle.

One of the figures spoke,"The boy is stronger then I realised." Riku reconized the voice. Xehanort.

"Braig will you?" Xehanort asked the cloaked figure to his right.

"Yeah I'm on it." Braig replied as he vanished in darkness.

Riku continued to glare at Xehanort and yelled angerily "Xehanort! You will pay for your evil deeds."

Xehanort laughed at him and replied, "You have promise. You're exactly like Terra. But that eventually will lead to your own downfall."

Riku faintly remembered Yen Sid mentioning a Terra, but Riku was more focused on not giving in to the urge to hurl his keyblade at him. So he took a deep breath. He had to focus. Like where had the other guy go.

"Isa if you please." Xehanort gestured to the remaining cloaked figure.

He summoned an overly sized weapon. The lunatic. And ran towards them. It was four against one and yet Isa was flawless and dodged alot of their hits.

While they were distracted Braig appeared once again next to Sora and threw the unconsious teen over his shoulder.

He vanished in darkness again with Sora and reappeared back next to Xehanort.

Xehanort created a portal and stepped through. Before Braig was about to step through with Sora he called out,

"Isa come on stop playing we got what we came for."

Isa to what it looked like teleported next to him and stepped in the portal before Braig.

They all began to ran for the portal desperately calling out to Sora as Braig entered. But it shut before they could reach it.

All the effort was meaningless. Sora was taken once again.

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><p><strong>Please leave a Review to keep the story alive. It'll only take a second to click that blue button.<strong>


	6. Illusions

**I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

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><p>"I underestimated the boy. He's to much like Ventus, I should have realized." Xehanort muttered while pacing around the almost empty room in castle oblivion. No one would of guessed that his base was there.<p>

Sora was chained up on a wall still unconsious. Around his waist was a keyhole padlock that only Xehanort's keyblade that could unlock.

"Master do you think its wise to bring the kid so close to the location where Ventus is?"

Vanitas stepped out of Sora in a transparent form and stood by his master.

Xehanort just meerily laughed and replied, "He won't be here for long. The boy is much like Ventus but that means they have the same weakness. I need you to look into the boys memories. Find out what makes him made and his darkness grow. Then you'll have to create the illusion so the darkness overwhelms him this time. But this time it'll be his own."

A smirk didn't leave on Vanitas' face.

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><p>"Again!" Riku furiously exclaimed as he threw his keyblade against the hard ground.<p>

The loss of Sora yet again put them all on edge. Donald was grumbling while Goofy held his head in defeat. Kairi clenched her fist and yelled, "Well I see no point on staying here. We have to go and find Sora." Kairi was...angry. She never got mad. Maybe small outbursts but not like this. The fire in her eyes said it all. Riku knew. Sora had feelings for Kairi, Riku right then and there knew that Kairi felt the same.

Riku exhaled and said, "Kairi's right we have to find him. Its now or never."

Donald and Goofy nodded in determination and ran back to the Gummi Ship. They were going to say hi to Leon and the others but there was no time.

Time was running out fast.

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><p>Vanitas found all Sora's darkness, his deepest fears. He set out making the illusion in Sora's heart of all his fears coming true.<p>

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><p><em>In the illusion...<em>

_Sora's eyes fluttered open to the sound of waves. He was back home on his island. He got up and looked around. The last thing he remembered was looking into Kairi's eyes then nothing. It was night. _

_Before he could question how he got back on the island he heard a voice,_

_"Soooooorrrrrraaaaaaaaa." It was like an echo of a ghost. Sora looked around and saw a black cloaked figure standing near the tree where he liked to sit. He was going to go up to see the figure. But he heard a blood curdling scream, it came from their secret place. Sora glanced to the secret place and looked back to see the figure was gone from the island._

_Sora didn't dwell on the figure being gone but ran to the source of the scream. He made his way in with an unyielding feeling of dread._

_He saw Kairi laying on the ground. Lifeless._

_Sora ran to her side and shook her trying to call out to her, "Kairi, Kairi! Open your eyes."_

_The figure appeared near Sora and began to speak to him,_

_"Theres no use the girl is gone. Her heart is lost forever, eaten by the darkness as well as..."_

_The figure stepped to the side to reveal Riku lifeless and pale._

_"No." Sora repeated under his breath in complete horror. The figure continued, "He tried to protect the useless girl. When I did away with him the girl screamed and then here we are."_

_Sora yelled, "Why would you do this?"_

_"Good question." The figure took off his hood. Sora's eyes widen in shock it was him. The figure was him._

_"You gave your friends to the darkness. You did this." Sora shook his head, it was like before. _

_Sora got up from the ground and provoked, "Ha really? You can't face me yourself. I'm not falling for the same thing twice."_

_Sora have may not have been the smartest kid but he wasn't stupid. Nothing was real. _

_Darkness consumed Sora's surrounding by darkness and when it reappeared he was in dive to heart._

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><p>"I'm glad you saw through it. I've wanted to fight you for a long time now."<p>

Sora turned to see someone with a helmet on and a dark suit on. Sora's eyes filled with determination.

"Who are you?" Sora always had his two sides. His goofy side and serious one. He had never been so serious. He wanted to know who was toying with him. But more importantly he wanted to know who wanted to use him to hurt Kairi.

He laughed at Sora and replied "You'll find out soon enough."

Vanitas' eyes glew with a maniac gleam. This was all apart of his plan.

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><p><strong>Please Click the Blue Button and leave a Review. It doesn't take long to type one up.<strong>


	7. The Fight Begins

**I do not own Kingdom Hearts.**

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><p>Sora glared at the figure and was shocked when the figure summoned his keyblade.<p>

Sora then realised it was the same person from the keyblade graveyard. Except the colour around his dark suit wasn't a white but red.

Vanitas ran at him but Sora was quick to react and used his keyblade to block. They were both in a tight lock.

Sora saw that his opponets legs were far apart. So Sora swiftly lifted up his foot and leaned back. The pressure of their keyblades being suddenly released pushed Sora through under his legs.

Sora quickly tried to strike him from the back but Vanitas cartwheeled forward before it hit him.

Vanitas was surprised how strong Sora was, he might actually defeat. But that was exactly what he was hoping for.

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><p>They all took off from Radiant Garden in a rush. Riku was at the wheel with Kairi standing next to his and Goofy were at the other controls keeping themselves busy.<p>

Kairi noticed something to the far left that Riku was about to drive past.

"Riku wait go left I think I saw something." Riku listened to Kairi without a word. Riku seemed to be lost in thought half the time. Riku turned the gummi ship left and saw a world. It felt oddly familar to Donald, Goofy and Riku.

"The keyhole iss open here." Riku stated with the highest suspicion.

"Sora's here." Kairi blurted out. They all stared at her as she continued, "I can feel it. You can feel it to if you just focus on Sora."

They all focused on Sora for a moment. Though Riku got more than he bargined for. He shut his eyes and when he re-opened them he was somewhere different and transprant. He was witnessing a fight. He saw a masked figure and Sora.

"Sora!" Riku called out. But he was not heard. It looked like they were fighting for hours. Riku could hear the both heavily panting.

The figure tried to strike Sora but he backflipped back.

The figure spoke to Sora, "You can keep wasting your energy, you're not leaving here anyway."

Sora defensively barked back, "What are you talking about?"

The figure laughed as darkness began to engulf him, "I'll be back Sora."

He then completely disappeared. Sora let his keyblade vanish in light as he caught his breath. He was glad the figure was gone. He put up some fight.

Riku witnessing this tried to call out to Sora again, "Sora!"

Sora flinched, he looked around and asked, "Riku?"

Riku ran over to Sora even though Sora couldn't see him. But he could hear him at least.

Sora still looked around searching and shouted out, "Riku where are you?"

Riku may have been transparant but it didn't mean he was deaf. Sora had yelled right in his face.

"Sora I'm right infront of you." Riku answered back plainly rubbing his ears.

"Oh sorry, but how are you here?"

Riku didn't know himself and replied back, "I don't know. But Kairi said to focus on you and I appear here."

Sora scratched his head, this was ran short as Riku began to vanish from his feet it was slowly clawing its way up.

He quickly blurted out, "Sora it looks like my times run out, I'm vanishing."

Sora frowned and said, "Protect Kairi, Riku. Promise me."

Riku knew that Sora was worried about Kairi. But the protection part meant, _'protect Kairi from me.'_

Almost angry Riku argued, "Only if you promise to never to stop fighting. You're stronger than he is. Keep fighting Sora we'll be there soon."

With these words Riku completely vanished. Sora looked up in determination, he had to keep fighting.

"But how long can you fight the darkness?"

The figure had returned. Sora summoned his keyblade.

The figure laughed, "Yep your exactly like Ventus."

The name of this person was on the tip of Sora's tongue. And Sora knew that this was the second time someone mentioned a person named Ventus.

Sora felt pain. Not the hurting pain but one of sadness and anger. But it began to make him wonder.

But it didn't stop him from defending himself. Their keyblades were yet again in a collision. The fighting yet again resumed with Riku's words repeating in his mind.

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><p>Riku's eyes snapped open he saw Donald, Goofy and Kairi looking at him with worried eyes.<p>

"Are you okay? You just collasped." Kairi mentioned as Riku sat up.

"You alright there Riku?" Goofy asked. Riku let everything sink in for a moment. He than barked out of the blue, "Sora! I saw him!"

"What! Where?" Donald squawked. Riku told them quickly what he had wittnessed and commanded that they look for him before it was to late. But they didn't need any encouragement. They left with weapons in hand out of the Gummi Ship.

Donald and Goofy gazed at the castle it was somewhat familar. Riku glared at it. This had been where everything was ruined by Organization XIII. Kairi looked forward with a fiery determination. This time she would save Sora.

She wasn't going to be the damsel in distress. She gripped her keyblade tightly as they entered through the doors. Not knowing they were all being watched from a far.

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><p><strong>Please Review! Pretty Please?<strong>


	8. Fighting Flames Ignite

**I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

**Sorry this Chapter would have been out quicker but I had a hectic week. So without further a due I give you Chapter 8.**

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><p>White. It was completely white in the inside. Castle Oblivion. Riku thought he would never have to see it again. But he knew that he would eventually have to return. Though with better circumstances.<p>

Riku lead the way around, vaguely remembering where everywhere was.

Donald and Goofy had a familar feeling around the place but that feeling was clouded by their worry for Sora.

They needed to find him and fast.

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><p>Xehanort could already sense that Sora's friends had come looking for him.<p>

His smirk remained because they were already too late.

Xehanort's plan had already been set up and executed. He watched intentively as darkness began to seep out of Sora.

Pure darkness.

Xehanort grinned as he summoned his keyblade. He pointed it to the lock holding Sora up and it unlocked.

Even though the lock holding him up fell to the ground Sora still stood. His head was still down. Suddenly his brown hair began to fade to a ebony black. Sora's clothes remained the same.

His head lifted up and he met the gaze of Xehanort with piercing golden eyes.

"The illusion worked?" Xehanort asked his pupil.

"Yes master. He thinks he's fighting me still. He doesn't know that it's his own darkness." His voice once again was a mix of his own and Sora's.

The plan was almost perfect. Sora from the very beginning had been fighting against his own darkness that Vanitas' manipulated to look like him.

No one can defeat their own darkness. It would always be there. And what Riku said to Sora couldn't be more perfect, he told him to keep fighting. But that was exactly what Vanitas' wanted.

Part one of their plan was complete.

Vanitas was back in control and they had Sora.

They then began to start part two.

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><p>"Wait stop." Riku said pausing the group with a thinking look.<p>

"What's the matter?" Donald asked as Riku looked paniced.

"Donald, Goofy get Kairi out of here. Go back to the Gummi Ship I'll be back soon."

Kairi shook her head and exclaimed, "Riku I'm not leaving this castle without-"

Riku cut her off, "I promised Sora I would keep you safe. It's hard to explain but I need you to be safe while I find out what Xehanort wants with him."

And with this Kairi put the pieces together and breathed out, "Were already too late again, aren't we."

Riku hung his head low. He approached Kairi putting his hands on her shoulders. "Kairi I'll be back soon just go where you'll be safe. I promised him."

Kairi thought to herself, _'Sora...You shouldn't worry about me so much. I'm the one who should be worrying about you.'_

She slowly nodded and left with Donald and Goofy. They didn't want to leave as much as Kairi but knew that Riku needed to do what he had to do. Even though they didn't know what.

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><p>Kairi, Donald and Goofy were looking towards the door out. They were walking towards it until a spear looking weapon almost hit Donald.<p>

Donald quacked in surprised. A force than returned the weapon to its owner. A cloaked figure floated down with the weapon. It was the same person they had fought in Radiant Garden. Isa.

They got their weapons out preparing to fight.

Isa dashed towards them, Goofy counted by running towards him with the same speed with his shield. The two collided as Isa used the berserk to block him.

Donald used a thundaga spell to try and zap him. But Isa jumped back before it could hit him. But when he jumped back Kairi swung her keyblade to hit him when he jumped back. Kairi was sneaky and had snuck behind.

But when she did he bent back sliding on the ground doing a limbo type of move.

The fight had just begun.

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><p>Riku was going solo. He was used to it. This reminded him of how he worked by himself most of the time to get Sora's memories back. But this time was to bring all of Sora.<p>

He wandered the stairs and halls. Preparing himself for what was to come.

Riku was walking forwards when he heard someone speak behind him,

"Alone? I'm surprised you're not with that usless girl, annoying duck and the dumb dog."

Riku turned around summoning his keyblade, and looked shocked to see that he was indeed too late once again.

"What have you done to him?" Riku hissed at Vanitas.

Vanitas laughed, his voice still sounded like a mix of his and Sora's.

"Nothing that you didn't help with."

Riku glared at him, "Whats that supposed to mean?"

Vanitas smirked at him, "You told him to keep fighting. He still is. But as he still fights the illusion I created in his heart. What he doesn't realize is the more he fights and the longer I'm in control. The sooner his heart will collasp and I'll be in control forever."

Riu felt a boiling rage towards him. How dare he manipulate his best friend- no, brother. How dare he manipulate his brother like that? He wasn't going to stand for it. Riku was preparing to attack.

Vanitas saw this and remarked, "You do understand if you hurt me, you also hurt Sora."

That didn't make Riku hesitate. If he could weaken Vanitas maybe he could break his hold on Sora long enough so he could fight back. And thus Riku and Vanitas began to fight as the two keyblades collilded with each other.

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><p>They all looked beat. Isa was winning this fight. Donald and Goofy looked like they were going to pass out. Kairi was on the ground too. But she was getting up using her keyblade to help herself get up.<p>

"I'm going to protect my friends." Kairi breathed out. Isa emotionlessly responded back to that,

"Time to finish you."

He was running forwards at them. Kairi stood there bravely unmoving.

Just as Isa was going to strike her she quickly leyt her keyblade vanished and she cartwheeled to her left. It caught Isa off guard. She than swiftly summoned her keyblade pointed it towards him and light shot him half way across the room hitting the wall.

Kairi's light was powerful. Very powerful.

But Isa got up and said, "Smart move. But not smart enough."

Isa then directed his arm controling his weapon from a far to pierce through Donald trying to get up.

"No!" Kairi yelled as she tried to reach Donald.

"Donald watch out!" Goofy yelled as he noticed also trying to get as it was about to hit Donald, a fiery blur knocked it out of the way.

"What?" Isa questioned in shock and surprised.

The light of the flame died down and infront of Donald was a familar spiky red headed guy.

"Looks like I came just in time."

Goofy knew that voice and asked, "Axel" As he finally managed to get up.

The red head shook his head and replied back,

"Axel? No I'm Lea, got it memorized."

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><p><strong>Love that Lea's back? Please Review! ^-^<strong>


	9. Takeover

**I do not own Kingdom Hearts.**

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><p>The meer minutes they were fighting were intense. Riku's anger grew within the passing seconds. Yet it didn't throw off his concentration.<p>

Vanitas had a fighting still much like Riku's. But it didn't make it any easier. Without Riku knowing Vanitas wanted to get him mad. So Vanitas took the next step to really push his buttons.

While in a collision Vanitas mocked, "You understand that fighting me will do nothing to help him. He's lost on my darkness. He's mine now."

That is when Riku snapped, "Stop talking about him like you own him!"

Riku pushed back against Vanitas' keyblade with much force and when he did he could feel his own darkness prickling at him. He ignored and kept pushing towards Vanitas.

Vanitas wanted to push him more, he used Sora's voice and said with a sarcastic tone, "Stop Riku your hurting me."

Riku gritted his teeth and slightly calmed down. He wasn't going to let Vanitas get the best of him. he pushed against his keyblade with much force. Vanitas caught off guard for that split moment left Riku the opening to slash him. Sending Vanitas flying against the wall knocking the air out off his chest.

Riku hoped that this weakened him enough to call out to Sora.

"Sora it's a trick stop fighting him!" He called out with much desperation.

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><p><em>Sora's dive to heart...<em>

The fight was intense. Sora didn't know how much he could last. But he had to keep fighting.

Sora was at the oppisite side of his opponent. He used his keyblade to support himself as he heavily panted. Sora looked up and noticed that who ever it was didn't look tried.

Sora didn't know how long he could last against this enemy. But he had to pull through.

"What are you tried? I was just getting warmed up."

Sora flinched surely he had not been playing with him all this time. Sora gritted his teeth and shouted,

"You never answered my question. And why do you have a keyblade?"

The dark keyblade wielder began to laugh insanely.

Sora glared at him when he did. Was he mad?

_'Sora it's a-!'_

The end was nothing but a fuzzy mumble.

_"Riku?" _Sora thought. Riku was trying to tell him something. But he could figure out what he said after, 'it's a.'

His enemy didn't seem to hear Riku's voice and continued to laugh.

"Now aren't we inpatient."

Sora then glared at him once more.

The figure continued to speak, "I may be made out of anothers darkness but at least I'm not someones puppet."

"Puppet? What do you mean?" Sora questioned still glaring.

Vanitas looked at Sora through the mask. He had the same angry look as Ventus. Vanitas decided that the time for talking was over and dashed towards Sora.

Sora was hardly surprised and stood waiting for him to come. Vanitas was about to slash Sora across the chest. But Sora ducked and with all his might hit Vanitas across his helmet.

Vanitas was blown back from the force and his helmet cracked.

Sora wanted to know who he was and approached the seemingly unconsious figure. Sora went to pull off his helmet and mumbled,

"Who are you?"

Before Sora could reach his helmet a strong had grabbed his arm. Sora alarmed jumped back and Vanitas let go and jumped up.

"You broke my helmet." Vanitas stated. His helmet then began to melt away. Sora stared in shock at what he first saw was the golden eyes.

He was like him. Sora shook his head this had to be another trick. Then Suddenly Sora began to sway and his vision blurred.

Sora lifted his hand to his head as he felt dizzy. His balance was beginning to be thrown off. Sora collasped to the ground still barely consious.

"W-what?" Sora weakly stuttered as his vision went blurred to normal and darkness surrounded him.

Vanitas approach Sora and smirked, "All this time we've been fighting my darkness has been over riding your heart. This time my hold will be much more powerful."

"No." Sora weakly grunted. That is when Sora gave way and let the dark aura surround him. The dark aura surrounded him but could'nt touch him.

Vanitas sighed, "To bad the darkness can't take over you completely. It can only keep you in that state. Oh well."

Vanitas smirked to see Sora's dive to heart become faded and dark.

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><p>"I can't believe he ran away." Donald growled.<p>

At the sight of Lea, Isa walked through a dark portal.

"He wants to avoide me obviously." Lea grinned. For once he felt more powerful than Isa at the moment.

"And whys that?" Kairi asked as she finally spoke to Lea. She seemed unsure at first to talk to the guy thats nobody kidnapped her. But he was very nice.

"He's the only one that knows my little secret this is the thrid time i've met with Isa. It's the first he's ran though."

"What secret?" Goofy asked scratching his head.

Lea grinned, "Oh you'll find out soon enough."

It was strange getting along with Axel to Kairi but he did save Donald.

"So why are you here?" Kairi asked the spiky red head.

Lea put on a straight face and said, "Cutting a long story short. I woke up in Radiant Garden,I remembered a promise I made, I found my way to the mysterious tower, I talked to an old guy and a mouse, they told me where you would be and boom I came here to help."

"Thats not very short." Donald cheekily remarked.

Lea ignored him.

They all went to the gummi ship and Kairi explained what was going on to Lea.

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><p>Vanitas laughed as he got up and mused, "Your too late, Sora's gone for good now."<p>

Before Riku could react he saw one of Vanitas' golden eyes turn blue and he said, "Remember our promise."

It was Sora's voice. But as soon as he said it the blue eye was once again golden. Vanitas looked like he didn't even realise Sora had spoken out of him.

Riku still slightly stunned at what Sora had said. Vanitas created a dark portal and stepped through. Even after Vanitas left Riku continued to stare into space. At least Sora was still in there.

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><p>Riku walked back to the gummi ship. At the sight of Lea he imediately summoned Way to Dawn.<p>

"No Riku he's a friend." Kairi defended Lea as she stepped infront of Riku.

Kairi did a lot of explaining. She told Riku about how Lea saved them on their way to the gummi ship. Riku thanked Lea for saving Kairi and told them what happened with Sora and Vanitas.

"So what now?" Goofy asked the group.

Riku sighed and replied, "We travel worlds until we find either Xehanort or Vanitas. We can't give up. Would Sora give up?"

What Riku said filled all of them with determination. Lea told them was going to come. No one complained. They needed all the help they could get.

"So where we going first?" Kairi asked as Riku was at the wheel.

"First stop is Agrabah." Riku said as he looked at the navigation system.

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><p><strong>Please Review it only takes a second. <strong>


	10. Xehanort's Plan

**I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

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><p>The pathway was surprising filled with heartless. Someone didn't want them there.<p>

They landed in the desert outside the entrance. As they walked out Donald sqwacked loudly pointing to the sky. They all looked and saw the sky was filled with black clouds, pitch black. They all realised something was terribly wrong and ran through the entrance to check on Aladdin and Jasmine.

They walked in the entrance to find the area was completely empty and quiet. Too quiet.

"Wait." Riku halted the group.

"What is-"

"Shhh!" Riku cut Donald off. There was a moment of silence until Riku yelled, "Look out!" as he attacked a heartless about to slash Lea.

As they turned they saw about 6 dozens of shadows, they all got their weapons out and began to attack them.

Lea had used his charkams though by the look on his face was unsatisfactory like something was missing.

The heartless were meerily just a distraction.

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><p>The girl looked through her window from her bedroom to the sky where darkness began to gather. She worried for her kingdom and her love. He had gone out not too long ago.<p>

She heard her door open and looked hopefully at the door. It wasn't whom she expected though. As soon as she saw spiky hair she exclaimed,

"Sora thank goodness you're here. The heartless are attacking."

But as she had a good look she realized it wasn't who she thought it was, but someone with much more darkness.

"Princess Jasmine. Come with me now and I might spare the life of your lover boy."

Jasmine looked angrily at him and responded back, "What have you done with him!"

Vanitas evilly smirked at the princess and said, "Enough to make someone suffer."

"You monster! Who are you?" Jasmine looked at him with despise.

"Just a servant of the darkness." He plainly responded back. He pointed his keyblade towards her and shot out a beam.

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><p>"There's too many!" Donald qwacked. But he was right. They kept coming wave upon wave.<p>

While fighting they heard a scream that rang through their ears and made them flinch.

"That sounded like Jasmine." Goofy stated as he glanced at the palace.

Lea took this opportunity and said, "Kairi, Riku. Go we'll take care of'em...Lets see if it'll work now."

Before anyone could say anything Lea dropped his chakrams and extended out his hand.

They all gasped when a pale light glew for a moment and a keyblade appeared.

It looked like a curled flame for the blade. Lea exclaimed, "Yes! Finally!"

With jaws half way across the ground Lea yelled before he could gloat, "Go! The duck and dog will help me hold them off."

"Hey!" Donald angrily squwacked taking offense to that comment.

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><p>Riku and Kairi nodded and ran for the palace.<p>

"Oh no." Kairi mumbled as they got to the entrance. A stone Aladdin stood before them.

His face was frozen with surprise like he didn't expect it.

"Kairi come on." Riku nudged. They had to see if Jasmine was okay. They hoped she was. The pair ran around the palace until they found Jasmine's room. The two threw open the doors prepared to fight.

"Too late." Vanitas glanced at them as he threw the stone frozen Jasmine through a dark portal.

Kairi yelled at him, "Let Sora go!" She pointed her keyblade at him.

Vanitas laughed, "Like I'm going to be scared by a little girl. Please. You may have a large affect on Sora's heart but you can't save him."

Before Kairi could say anything Riku shouted, "You're wrong we're going to save you Sora you can count on it."

Vanitas rolled his eyes and stated, "He can't hear you. I've told you once and I'll say it again Sora is mine now. And there is nothing you can do to stop Xehanort and I from succeeding in our goal."

And with that Vanitas stepped through the portal and left. But the portal was still there.

Kairi was going to try and run at the portal but Riku knew something was off, it was still there as if he wanted Kairi to follow him. It was a trap but Riku saw through that and got Kairi out of the palace away from the lingering portal.

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><p>They met back up with Lea, Donald and Goofy at the Gummi Ship.<p>

"What happened?" Lea asked Riku.

Riku explained what happened to Jasmine and Aladdin. But also about how the portal still lingered.

"It has me thinking why take Jasmine and leave the portal still there as if he wanted us to follow."

"Maybe it was Sora?" Donald suggested.

"No, it had to be a trap. But what is he up too?" Riku replied.

The moment was interrupted when they heard Chip yell from the Gummi Ship, "Riku we got an urgent call from Master Yen Sid he needs to speak to all of you at the mysterious tower pronto!"

They ran in the Gummi Ship and headed for the mysterious tower. This news couldn't be good.

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><p>"Master Yen Sid you asked for us?" Riku politely asked as they all arrived in his study.<p>

"Yes, I fear that Xehanort has been kidnapping the Princesses of Heart."

It then hit Riku. That was why the portal lingered, To capture Kairi.

Mickey continued from Yen Sid, "He's already got Cinderella, Snow White and Aurora."

"And princess Jasmine." Goofy sadly added.

Yen Sid sighed, "This is worse then I thought. It seems that Xehanort has began his final phase in his plan."

Mickey perked up, "Welp we should go find Alice and Belle before he can get his hands on them. Donald, Goofy you can come with me to get Alice."

"Yes your majesty." Donald and Goofy said as they saluted their king.

Kairi nodded her head and chirped, "Yep then Lea, Riku and I can get-"

Riku cut her off, "No Kairi. You have to stay here. You're a target now. It's not safe."

Kairi knew he was worried but she responded back, "Riku I know it's not safe but we need to take this risk."

"No Kairi we don't and if Vanitas-" This time Kairi cut him off,

"He can't touch me without Sora breaking free of his control. He knows that. And thats why he didn't take me by force in Agrabah."

That was also another slap of realization for Riku.

Kairi continued her rant, "I'm sick of everyone thinking that I need protecting. I'm a lot stronger than people think. I'm coming if you like it or not."

Riku stood there stunned at Kairi's out burst. Not surprised though. He had it coming. He was in a way insulting her strength. Which became a very touchy subject for her the last day.

"Just let her come jeezz." Lea remarked.

Riku gave in, there was no fighting Kairi.

Yen Sid slowly nodded and said, "She may go but have great caution. King Mickey you know the door ways well. Riku you must take the Gummi Ship. Tread cautiously."

They all nodded and left. Mickey, Donald and Goofy headed to Wonderland. Meanwhile Riku, Lea and Kairi were driving in the Gummi Ship to the Beast's Castle.

All of them wouldn't expect what would happen next after they got to the worlds.

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><p><strong>Please Review! :)<strong>


	11. Belle and Alice

**I do not own Kingdom Hearts.**

**This chapter is slightly longer than other ones. :D**

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><p>Mickey let Donald and Goofy lead. They knew where they were going. Mickey remembered when Data-Sora went through Wonderland but Donald and Goofy were there for real.<p>

They were going to ask if the queen knew where Alice was. But when they got there they saw everyone was stone. All the card guards and the queen of hearts. But there was no sign of Alice.

"And so you have arrived."

They looked around until the source appeared before them. It was the cheshire cat.

"What happened?" Mickey asked.

The cheshire cat did a little twirl and replied, "Someone came, someones here. I told Alice to run and hide. But."

As the cheshire cat stopped his sentence they heard a scream coming from the Lotus forest, "Someone please help me!"

"There was only time to run." The cheshire cat finished as he vanished. They didn't spend a second to run in the forest.

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><p>They opened up the castle doors.<p>

"Be on your guard." Riku instructed. Kairi noticed that he became the leader since Sora left. It wasn't surprising.

Lea didn't really seem to mind either.

"Inturders!" They turned to see who it was. It was a short,round man with brown hair.

"Relax were friends of Sora." Riku assured the ranting man.

A tall, slender man walked out and said, "Oui, Oui any friend of Sora is a friend of ours, Cogsworth."

Cogsworth replied,"Yes, yes Lumiere. But what business do you have here?"

Kairi replied back to the question, "We need to see Belle. Its urgent."

"Oh well she's in the library." Cogsworth responded back pointing them in the right direction.

While walking Kairi whispered to Riku, "Weren't they supposed to be objects? Sora told me that they were meant to be a clock and a candlestick."

Sora would brag on and on to Kairi of his adventures when he got back to Destinys Island. From when the island was swallowed to finding her at The World that Never Was.

Lea overheard and shrugged, "True love must have broke the curse. Or something like that."

They found their way to the library and found Belle reading.

"Knock knock." Lea said to get her attention.

Belle looked up from her book and realized she had company.

"Oh hello." Belle chirped approaching them. She showed a curiousity in who they were.

Riku saw her unease and said, "I'm keyblade master Riku and this is Kairi and Lea. Don't worry were friends of Sora. We came here to warn you."

"Warn me? About what?" She asked as she slightly tilted head. This is where the explaining began.

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><p>They sprinted as quick as they could until they got to the centre of the forest. Alice was cornered by someone familar.<p>

"What do you want from me?" She asked as she backed away against a mushroom.

He didn't reply. But he took a few steps closer to Alice.

"Stop right there!" Mickey yelled halting him.

He turned to face them. Donald and Goofy didn't want to look. Mickey also felt slightly upset. But he didn't show it. Mickey kept up his strong look and said, "Vanitas leave her alone."

Vanitas looked towards Mickey and snickered, "Thats right I remember you now."

"How's Aqua?" Vanitas added sarcastically.

Mickey glared at him. Alice tried to take this chance to escape. While Vanitas was occuppied with talking to Mickey no one notice she climbed on the mushroom that she was cornered against and jumped to the lily pads above.

Alice accidently stepped on a twig which attracted the attention to her.

"Get back here!" Vanitas sneered.

She ran through one of the pathways that lead to the upside down room.

Mickey smiled, "haha now you won't be able to find her." Mickey remembered when Data-Sora went to Wonderland and how each pathway was a different way each time.

Vanitas smirked and stated, "Thanks to Sora I know where all the pathways are, nice try though."

He then swiftly jumped up and ran through the pathway.

"Well we know too." Goofy responded back even though Vanitas had already left.

"After em." Mickey instructed as they followed.

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><p>Riku had finished explaining the situation to Belle.<p>

"And thats why we need to bring you somewhere safe. We need to leave right away."

Belle sighed and said, "Of course but we need to tell Adam."

"Adam?" Kairi asked, who was Adam she thought.

Belle laughed and continued, "He's the prince and my fiance."

_'So the prince's name was Adam, that solved that mystery.'_ Kairi thought.

"Where is he now?" Lea asked moving the conversation along.

Belle replied, "He should be in the garden. Follow me."

She lead them into a large, beautiful room. A handsome young man walked in through some doors to come in. He looked up and walked up to the group.

"Belle I see you brought guests." The man smiled at her.

She returned the smile and faded as she said, "Adam I need to go with them. There is trouble in the worlds and the Princesses of Heart have been kidnapped except two others and myself."

Adam's smile vanished and he asked, "Who's after you?"

"Xehanort." The unfamilar voice came from behind the prince near the doors. The figure was cloaked.

Lea turned and grinned, "Good to see you again."

The figure then took off his hood as Lea finished,

"Isa."

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><p>It was many twists and turns. They were barely catching up to Vanitas, he was fast. They kept hoping that they would catch up in time. But they lost him.<p>

"Which way did he go?" Donald questioned. It was either the far left or the far right.

They kept looking side to side. If they chose the wrong one Alice would be long gone.

_Right._

As if something told them they chose to go right. They went through leading back to the Lotus forest. To find they were too late. Vanitas turned Alice to stone.

"Too late." Vanitas smirked and as he turned to face them the stone Alice fell to the ground.

Mickey summoned his keyblade. He wasn't going to let Vanitas get the best of him again. Vanitas looked at his new challenge with interest. He just hoped he could keep Sora under his leash when he fought them.

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><p>"How long have I been here?"<p>

He wandered around the darkness. It felt like days. All he did was wander. Memories of who he was and who he knew faded almost slipping away. Forgotten but still attached just barely. He saw a strange creature appear before him. The word 'unversed' appeared in his mind.

It began to run off. But it stopped and looked back. As if beckoning the boy. He understood and began to run following it.

He followed it until it came to a halt and it vanished and when it did he heard a voice like an echo.

"I'm so alone. Why can't you and I be one, I was once apart of you wasn't I? Hate. I hate myself, this is a weakness. I'm too weak."

He wandered further in the darkness to find the voice and find out why he sounded so sad.

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><p>"Why didn't you send Vanitas?" Kairi growled at Isa.<p>

Isa kept a neutral experssion and answered, "My master thinks it's best that you don't have contact with the vessel."

"The vessel?" Riku questioned, he knew that Sora was the vessel but for what was the question.

Isa had the same face as he summoned his bersker. Before Riku could react Lea dashed towards Isa with his keyblade.

"You forget Isa I'm with the good guys." Lea remarked as they clashed. They then looked to have some sort sword fight. Riku was about to jump in but Kairi bet him to it. She took her opening when they were in a mid clash.

As Kairi threw him off balance Lea took this chance to pierce him through the shoulder causing him to drop his weapon.

Kairi backed away a few steps and Riku ran up hoping to get the information out of him. But Kairi stopped him and shook her head. It looked like Lea needed some space. Isa was on the ground clutching his shoulder panting.

"What happened Isa? What happened to make you choose this path?" Lea sadly asked. He didn't want to fight Isa. They were best friends.

Isa looked above into Lea's eyes.

"Meerily just to distract you." Isa replied pointing past them.

It showed the prince knocked out on the ground and a out cold Belle being carried on Braig's shoulder.

"Later!" Braig laughed as he entered the dark portal out of there.

They ran midway until it was gone. They turned back to see Isa was gone. They were tricked right under their nose. They failed to recover Belle.

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><p>Vanitas kept up with all of them. He barely got hit. He made his moves a mix of Sora's and his own, so no one could read them.<p>

Mickey reckonized some of Vanitas' moves and Donald and Goofy reckonized him use Sora's moves. So the odds were in their favour yet Vanitas was eveningly matched.

Suddenly a stabbing pain pierced through Vanitas' heart. He had enough time to jump back and clutch his chest.

"I guess my time is up." Vanitas mumured. It was good timing though. Braig and Isa came just in time.

Isa came from above with his beserker in his hand.

Luckily Goofy saw and exclaimed, "Look out!" and tackled King Mickey away from Isa's range.

Braig being the sneaky one once again picked up the stone Alice and threw her in a dark portal. With the pain starting to wear off Vanitas entered Braig's dark pathway and sneered, "I had it under control." Before he entered.

Braig smirked and replied, "Sure you did."

Isa kept Mickey, Donald and Goofy occupied until Braig called out, "Isa were done."

He entered the dark pathway and Isa ran in following.

They failed to rescue Alice.

They all failed in saving the princesses.

Kairi was the only one left not in their grasp.

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><p><strong>Please Comment? I would say review but it's comment now. 0_0 lol :D<strong>


	12. And So it all Begins

**I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

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><p>He kept walking forward in the dark. He wanted to know who was suffering. He kept walking to see his surroundings change. And stepped to what it seemed someones memories.<p>

He knew that this was the place of keyblades. He saw a figure with red eyes. The figure shrieked in pain as a unversed came out of it.

The figure summoned a keyblade and destroyed it but it turned to darkness flowing back into it. Shrieking once again in pain. He cringed at how painful it sounded. This figure was really suffering.

He saw someone else watching the red eyed figure in pain. He couldn't see clearly who it was. Whoever was watching was too far away. The setting seemed to change.

It was another memory. It was the same place but it was night. And what he was about to wittness would change everything.

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><p>"I see." Yen Sid mumbled as he stroked his beard. He was disappointed but knew that it couldn't have been helped<p>

They all returned and were daunted by failure. Especially Riku. He was a keyblade master how could of this happened.

He felt like he could have made so many better decisions. But he failed to make them. He failed at saving Sora. He failed in saving Belle. Everything was a mess.

"Welp at least they don't Kairi." Mickey stated.

"But they don't need me." Kairi responded back. They all looked at her confused.

"I've been thinking. Maybe Xehanort only captured the princesses so they would be out of the way. I think that Xehanort only captured them so history doesn't repeat itself. But instead let darkness have the light within Kingdom Hearts."

They were all shocked in this theory. It sounded about right. They had orginally thought that they were going to use the light of the Princesses of Hearts to collide it with darkness to create it.

But little did they know Kairi was a hundred percent right.

Yen Sid replied to this, "If that is the case then you will have to go to the Keyblade Graveyard. That is where they will forge the X-Blade. But Kairi if you are wrong you will be in grave danger. Master Riku, guard Kairi well."

Riku realized and responded frantically, "You can't go."

Kairi asked slightly angered, "Why not?"

Riku replied, "Because it's way too dangerous."

Kairi flinched. She remembered having this conversation with Sora when he went to find Riku. Her experssion softened but still remained strong. And she knew she had been through this with him and firmly said,

"We've been through this. We're going together."

"Yeah you won't be alone you got us." Goofy added referencing to everyone in the room. Mickey and Donald nodded in acknowledgement.

Lea responded, "I'm in too, I've still got my promise to keep."

"What was your promise?" Donald finally asked.

Lea looked at everyone and replied, "I promised Roxas that I would always be there to bring him back. Well thats what my nobody promised."

"Roxas." Riku mumbled remembering him. Sora and Roxas were one in the same. The promise must have been the same.

Riku nodded, "Lets go."

Yen Sid wished them luck and added that they would need it. All heads held high as they prepared for the fight to come. Kairi sat in the Gummi Ship and whispered to herself, "Sora I hope my light is enough."

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><p>He wittnessed what was going on. It looked like the red eyed figure looked to slightly faded. The red eyed figure suddenly screamed in pain falling to the ground clutching his chest and looked barely consious but the the figure shut his eyes. The figure was then was about to be engulfed in absolute darkness. He tried to reach out to the figure but he heard a voice, "huh?"<p>

And light appeared. It surrounded the red eyed figure.

The mysterious voice spoke again, "Let's open the door."

The red eyed figure opened his eyes, but when he opened them he had a face of a familar face. He knew the face that the figure had. And he knew that voice. The memory faded around him back to black. He thought real hard on who's it was.

It was...

He grunted in frustration, why couldn't he remember? Suddenly something was shining in his back pocket, he pulled it out. It was someones lucky charm. It stopped glowing and he stared at it. It then hit him like a ton of bricks.

"It was me. Sora. It was me!"

Sora remembered everything. How could he let this happen. He knew what to do now. Sora clutched Kairi's good luck charm tightly.

"Kairi, thank you."

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><p>"Your wish will soon come true not to worry. But you will have to fight the boy without assistance to forge the X-Blade."<p>

Vanitas nodded and replied, "The kid is already fighting back, I'm going to have to anyway."

Xehanort evilly grinned and pointed, "Go to the top of the cliff, I'll make sure you go undisturbed."

Vanitas smirked and left. He knew that was the cliff where he combined with Terra many years ago.

'How appropriate.' Vanitas thought as he prepare to fight Sora for the last time.

Xehanort with a wave of his hand summoned Isa and Braig to his side.

"Are the princesses out of the way?" Xehanort asked.

"Yep Castle Oblivion now has a statue collection." Braig remarked.

Xehanort smiled, "Good, now you know what to do. No distractions."

Isa nodded and opened up a dark pathway and left. Braig did the same. Xehanort thought out this plan well.

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><p>They ran through the wasteland of a world. They landed near the out skirts of the world. So they had to run.<p>

Getting closer with each passing second they suddenly stopped when a beserker was thrown down almost hitting Riku who was running infront.

They stopped and watched as Isa emerged.

Lea glared and annouced, "Go. Isa's my problem. I'll take care of him."

"Are you sure?" Riku asked.

Lea nodded as he summoned his keyblade. "Go!"

They ran round them, Isa was about to dash towards them. But Lea quickly blocked him off and said, "Your fights with me Isa."

Isa angerily glared at him as the group got away.

One battle had just began from many more to come.

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><p><strong>Please Review! :)<strong>


	13. The Fight Part 1

**I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

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><p>The darkness vanished around him. His dive to heart lit up and it returned to normal. But he felt a presence and looked to his far right. Near the edge of the platform is where he stood. Vanitas.<p>

Vanitas was unmasked and looked at Sora. Through the exchange of glances it was as if a whole conversation was spoken.

They both knew this was the finale battle. Both wanting to win.

"Join with me now and create the X-Blade."

Sora shook his head and summoned his keyblade.

Vanitas saw the way Sora looked at him. It was something he didn't reckonized. He summoned his keyblade as well and Sora still looked at him in strange way. He ran at him beginning the fight.

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><p>They were getting much closer. As they ran they were once again halted when bullets of some kind surrounded them. They looked above seeing yet another familar face. Braig.<p>

Mickey hit away the bullets with his keyblade.

"I'll take him." Mickey stated.

As Braig landed Riku replied to Mickey, "You can't fight him alone."

"He won't be." The two looked towards the source. Donald and Goofy were ready to fight.

Riku was unsure, they were going to depend on him, but he doubted himself. Mickey noticed instantly and said, "Riku you can do this. We all have faith in you."

Riku knew when Mickey said 'all' that he meant Sora as well. Riku nodded and grabbed Kairi by the arm and ran.

Braig watched and was about to shoot them but Donald qwacked and used Thundaga on Braig. It shocked him for a while. When the spell wore off all of Braig's hair was sticking up.

"Very funny." Braig sarcastically remarked as he flattened down his hair.

_'So much for no distractions.' _Braig thought.

He tried to shoot Mickey but Mickey deflected them easily.

So he once again jumped up and shot at them again. They all dodged and blocked. Goofy just put his shield over his head, Mickey hit them away and Donald used stopaga magic to stop them in mid air.

Braig really stood no chance. But all he needed to do was delay them long enough so Xehanort could for fill his plan.

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><p>Isa threw his berserker like a spear at Lea.<p>

Lea easily dodged it and ran towards the seemingly vulnerable Isa.

Isa ran at him as well. Lea tried to strike him as they got closer but suddenly Isa jumped backflipping over him.

He used some sort of force that brang his lunatic to him and he tried to stab Lea. It caught Lea off guard. He was too late to dodge but moved slightly to his left. It unfortunately cut Lea's right side.

He endured the pain and kicked Isa's legs causing him to fall on his back.

But as soon as that happened Isa rolled back and got back on his feet. Lea clutched his side feeling the stinging pain, it was a deep wound that thankfully didn't hit anything vital and the bleeding was minor.

Isa stared at Lea and said, "You've never been able to defeat me Lea and never will. Look at you. You're already half way defeated."

Lea shook his head, "I guess there's no saving you Isa. You've change too much. And you're wrong."

As Lea stopped he swiftly pointed his keyblade towards Isa and it shot out light. It hit Isa and made him fly back.

The light hurt him, proving he gave into darkness long ago. Isa got up and was surprised. Lea was holding back all this time just to see if he could change.

But from that moment it was crystal clear that the Isa Lea once knew was gone and had severed the ties they once had.

Lea was going to finish this and with no regrets.

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><p>Riku ran dragging Kairi along. She was barely able to keep up with him but she was still hot on his heels.<p>

They kept running until they arrived. Kairi saw the keyblade's for the first time. She looked in awe but she still remained as focused as Riku.

The two frantically looked around the area. No one was in sight until Kairi looked up at the cliff. She squinted her eyes as she saw something on the cliff. It was someone lying unconsious. She instantly knew whom when she saw spiky hair.

"Riku look up on the cliff!" She pointed. Riku had a good stare and saw.

He shook his head this was way too easy.

"This has to be a tra-" Riku was cut off by a yell,

"Look out!" Kairi blocked Xehanort's keyblade from hitting Riku.

Xehanort jumped back and Riku summoned his keyblade. Xehanort grinned,

"You've gotten stronger I see."

The pair only glared at him. They both then ran at him. Xehanort was flawless. He blocked many hits from the two and dodged many.

He certainly was skilled keyblade master. They all jumped backed away from each other. Kairi couldn't help but to check the cliff. Xehanort noticed and responded,

"Take a good last look at your friend. Vanitas will consume him and finally create the X-Blade."

Riku asked in anger, "Why use Sora? Why didn't you just combine with light to create it so you can have it for yourself?"

Xehanort smirked, "Oh but will have it for myself."

The pieces fit. They both instantly knew what he planned. He was just using Vanitas to create the X-Blade within Sora and then take over him.

Xehanort saw that they figured it out and continued,

"Originally my new host was going to be you. But I then found out about what the boy carried within him and so he became the target."

Xehanort opened a dark pathway and stepped through. Riku and Kairi stood their ground. Xehanort wouldn't go to far. It screamed trap in their faces.

They looked around keeping their eyes open. He could pop out anywhere.

A dark pathway silently opened at their blind spot behind them. Xehanort pointed his keyblade towards Kairi. As if everything turned in slow motion Riku suddenly smelt darkness behind them and sensed it was aimed at Kairi. As Xehanort shot the ray, Riku quickly pushed Kairi out of the way out of instinct and the next moment he was stone.

"Riku!" Kairi exclaimed as Riku's stone form slammed on the ground.

She clentched her keyblade and glared at Xehanort who looked completely satisfied.

She got up from the ground. Then suddenly her keyblade began to glow. The light within her fuelled the keyblade.

Xehanort looked with surprise at this new challenge. It was all up to her now.

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><p><strong>Surprised with Riku? Please Review! :)<strong>


	14. The Fight Part 2

**I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

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><p>Braig just barely dodged Goofy and Mickey. He was losing. Big time. Mickey jumped in mid air and did a back flip over Braig and swung at his chest. It knocked the air right out of him making him losing balance. Braig caught his balance again while in a tumble.<p>

Braig thought it was hardly fair, three against one.

Mickey joined by Donald and Goofy said, "Give up, there's no way you're gonna win!"

_'Time to retreat.' _Braig thought as he glared at them.

He quickly raised his weapon and shot infront of them causing dust and dirt to rise. Distracted by the dusty mist Braig summoned a dark pathway and went through. Fleeing the battle. As the dust settled they saw that Braig fled. Donald grumpily shouted, "Coward!"

"Well at least he's gone." Goofy replied.

Mickey nodded and commanded, "Come on we got to help Riku and Kairi."

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><p>Lea was like an animal. He was quick and powerful and he ignored the wound on his side. Isa had no words to how surprising this was. This power was coming from Lea.<p>

The Lea he knew had changed. But then again he changed too. Lea pretended to dive at him aiming for his legs. Isa fell for it and went for a strong swing that would have worked. But Lea quickly stopped mid way through his dive and then he powerfully slashed him.

Isa fell to his knee's dropping his beserker. Lea took a few steps back as he saw Isa struggle.

"What..." Isa began and drew Lea's attention.

"What made you so powerful?" Isa coughed out still struggling to try and stand.

Lea turned away from him and said, "My promise to a friend is what drives me. And I will keep it. No matter what the obstacle."

There was silence between them until Lea suddenly said, "The good thing about being a nobody then becoming whole is that I still have all my powers and more."

Before Isa could react Lea snapped his fingers together setting Isa to a flame. He remembered that he had done this to Ienzo's nobody once.

When the flames calmed Isa began to vanish in darkness. Lea didn't look back and started to walk away. He paused for a moment and said with no emotion,

"Goodbye Isa."

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><p>Kairi didn't hold back. Slash after swing she attacked Xehanort with her glowing keyblade of light. Xehanort was surprised but it didn't affect him. But Kairi did prove to be a challenge. He had no time to raise his keyblade to turn her into stone, she was too quick.<p>

Xehanort moved quickly for an old man but then again he wasn't just any old man. The light that was coming off Kairi's keyblade was very blinding. Or to Xehanort at least.

There was actually some doubt that he might lose. Xehanort knew that his only real chance in winning was for Vanitas to take over Sora.

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><p>They collided keyblades many times. Neither of them would yield. They were both were panting heavily. It looked as if they were both of them were going to tumble over unconsious at any moment. Sora continued to look at Vanitas in a certain way. Vanitas still couldn't figure it out. He knew that it wasn't happy or angry. Whatever it was he didn't like it.<p>

Vanitas ran at Sora with a stabbing motion. Sora stood his ground and when he got close he hit Vanitas' keyblade upwards. Vanitas quickly recovered from it and tried slashing at Sora.

Sora blocked and continued to have the same look. It frustrated Vanitas and he then began to slash at Sora's keyblade multiple times. With each swing he yelled,

"Stop-looking-at-me-like-that!" Sora continued to look at him the same and said nothing. He had been silent the whole battle. Not a word was spoken. With Vanitas slowing down for a single moment, Sora took his chance and knocked the keyblade right out of his hand and slashed him.

Vanitas fell to his knee's. Sora pointed his keyblade at him. He shut his eyes, Sora was going to finish him off for sure. This is how it ended. He wouldn't achieve his goal after all. He was going to vanish.

_Clank_

As soon as Vanitas heard the clank he felt something warm against him. He opened his eyes to see Sora's keyblade on the ground and Sora was on his knee's, hugging him. Sora was hugging him. Sora's arms were wrapped around him with his head over Vanitas' left shoulder. Vanitas was confused and Sora then began to speak,

"I know how lonely you've been. I saw some of your memories."

Vanitas then realized that Sora's look was one of sadness and empathy.

Sora continued sounding like he was about to cry, "All you've wanted was to become whole and you were suffering. Xehanort twisted you and your thoughts into thinking that this was the way to go. He was wrong. And I forgive you."

Vanitas was absolutely shocked. To what he heard in Sora's voice he felt his pain as they spoke and what Sora said next would be the greatest shock of them all,

"Become a part of me. You don't have to be alone anymore."

Vanitas was dumbfound. This boy, one whom he tried to destroy and take over forgave him and wanted him to be with him. Vanitas felt his hard heart soften, he felt this before feeling before, It was pleasant and warm. He remembered that it was the feeling he got from the light when a boy saved Ventus and him.

Vanitas then realized something that was faded and almost forgotten. Sora was that boy. A boy that touches so many hearts. Sora was truely someone very special.

Vanitas returned the hug. His right hand on the back of Sora's head and his left hand on his back. He put his head over Sora's shoulder in the hug.

He felt something prickle in his eyes. They were tears. But he wasn't sad. Thats when he knew it was a tear of joy. Vanitas shut his eyes and began to glow. He began to slowly fade away but he managed to say with an echo tone,

"Sora. Thank you."

With that he completely faded into light. Sora glew then for a moment and it was done. Vanitas was now one with Sora.

Sora almost collasped as he tried to get up. He was so tried. He had been fight for so long. But he knew that he needed to stay awake. He needed to help his friends.

As he stood a keyblade appeared in his hand. Sora didn't reckonize it. But that's when he knew.

It was the X-Blade. He stared at it with awe. He was about to ask himself how he got it but he remembered Vanitas was darkness and by colliding with darkness he forged this weapon. Something Xehanort was after.

He then remembered that Xehanort would be close. Sora wanted to finish this. He knew he would have to leave his dive to heart eventually.

So for once Sora began to plan his next move. He was going to end this.

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><p><strong>PLEASE READ: I actually researched on Vanitas' backstory and it is really sad. It's revealed in the BBS Novel's. So I wanted him to have a happy end. Because he was exactly like Ventus until Xehanort messed him up. Anyway stay tuned for chapter 15.<strong>

**Please Review! :D**


	15. Confrontation

**I do not own Kingdom Hearts.**

**Heres a double long chapter and its action packed! :D **

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><p>Xehanort felt his inner darkness prickle at him. He was getting very frustrated. This girl was actually proving to be a challenge. Her and her light was a clashing force to his darkness. It bothered him a lot.<p>

Kairi looked at him with a powerful glare. Xehanort glared back in return. Both in the fighting with the glares. Kairi wasn't a damsel in distress anymore, she was a keyblade wielder and one with a powerful light.

The light faded in her keyblade but her light was seen as clear as day. She tightened her grip on her keyblade as she panted. How long would she be able to keep this up?

Suddenly a light shot to the sky, it came from the cliff Sora was on.

Neither of the two noticed and continued to fight. They both ran at each other.

While in a clash they both jumped back breaking it off. Kairi's shoes slid as she jumped back and she ran at him once again swinging her keyblade at him. He quickly leaped back and then tried to swing at her. She hopped backwards and then did a backflip.

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><p>Kairi took a step forward about to attack Xehanort again but she noticed he wasn't looking at her. He was grinning to his right. Kairi glanced to her right and saw him. She mentally prayed it was the real Sora.<p>

He looked normal, he had his normal chocolate brown hair and sky blue eyes. But he looked serious and angry at the same time. Her keyblade vanished.

Xehanort eyed the boy and asked as he got closer, "Vanitas?"

He smirked and replied, "Yes, it's me my master." It was Sora's voice but used with more attitude.

He continued, "Merging with the boy has given me his looks and voice. As well as our goal."

Xehanort let his keyblade vanish and acknowledged the explaination. Kairi thought to herself, _'No! Sora couldn't of failed. He couldn't!' _

She didn't believe it.

Xehanort then instructed, "Go finish off the girl for good." As Xehanort was talking to him, he took a quick glance at Riku's stone form. Xehanort turned starting to walk away.

"It'll be my pleasure." He smirked as he began to approach her.

Kairi stood her ground, she was convinced. She still stood bravely. They were only an inch apart, he got so close to her.

"Your light will save Riku. And whatever happens stay back, I don't want you to get hurt." He whispered.

She wanted to crush his bones in a hug and cry. She was right, it was Sora.

Sora turned around and casually walked back to Xehanort whom was just shuffling along. She wanted to grab his arm and plead him not to go but she knew he had to do this. She quietly snuck to the stone Riku.

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><p>"Is she out of the way?" Xehanort asked as Sora caught up to him.<p>

Sora grew an angry experssion. The nerve Xehanort had. After all he had done. What he did to all those people. Vanitas. Riku. He was going to pay.

Back in his regular tone of voice he replied, "She's fine actually."

Xehanort prepared to question him but suddenly saw a keyblade swing at him. It made him fly back a few feet. Xehanort then knew that he was fooled.

Sora had summonned Oathkeeper. Sora deeply exhaled feeling himself sway. Xehanort was slowly getting back up. He had to protect her. Even if it cost him everything.

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><p>They were about to run in hopes of catching up to Riku and Kairi but they heard someone coming up behind them. They all turned defensively to find it was just Lea.<p>

"Lea!" Mickey gladly greeted. He had a half smile at Mickey as Donald noticed his side was wounded.

"Curaga" Donald waved his staff. Instantly the wound was healed. Lea surprised responded, "Hey thanks."

Donald nodded liking the praise in his tone of voice.

"Is he gone?" Goofy asked. Lea's experssion didn't change and he replied, "Yep he's gone."

Mickey nodded slightly surprised with his reaction. And they then together went running like the wind.

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><p>Sora watched Xehanort like a hawk as he got up. Xehanort summoned his keyblade. His free hand began to flow with darkness. He raised it upwards and the ground around them began to rise. Sora almost got thrown off balance as it rose. It rose past the clouds in the sky. But they still managed to breathe normally.<p>

It rose high enough that neither could escape. Sora ran at him with eThey collided keyblades, like a sword fight they swung and blocked each other.

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><p>Kairi stared as the rock arose around Xehanort and Sora. She stood with worry and prayed that Sora would be okay. She couldn't see them anymore,they were too high up.<p>

"Kairi!"

She turned to see everyone running up to her and they noticed Riku beside her.

"What happened?" Lea asked.

Kairi began to explain, "Xehanort was going to turn me into stone but Riku pushed me out of the way. I fought against Xehanort by myself. But now..."

She trailed off and glanced at the risen ground. She continued, "Now Sora's fighting him, alone."

Donald and Goofy sighed, at least Sora was fine. For now.

They all glanced at the risen ground. It was too high to get to him. It was all up to Sora. Kairi then took a glance at Riku.

_"Your light will save Riku." _Sora's words repeated as an echo in her mind. But how? she thought.

She summoned her keyblade and stared at it.

"Maybe." She mumbled drawing everyones attention.

"Kairi?" Mickey asked as she continued to stare at her keyblade. She held her keyblade over Riku. It glew for a moment and she stabbed the stone much to everyones shock and surprise.

She lifted her keyblade away and whispered, "Please work."

A few moments of nothing she was about to sigh in defeat but suddenly a huge crack of light appeared in the stone. The light shone brighter and they all had to shield there eyes.

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><p>The next they looked they saw Riku shaking the gravel leftover in his hair.<p>

Kairi couldn't help but happily yell, "Riku!"

"What happened?" Riku asked mildly confused. Kairi extended her hand and pulled him up.

"What doya remember Riku?" Mickey asked.

Riku took a moment to think and replied, "I pushed Kairi out of the way and then. How am I set free?"

They all looked to Kairi wanting an explaination. She softly replied,

"It was something Sora said,he told me that my light would save Riku. This is the only way I could think of freeing him. But I don't why exactly."

Mickey nodded and suggested, "Maybe its because of the light from a Princess of Heart."

"But then wouldn't they be like, not statues?" Lea asked.

Riku then came into the coversation, "It could be that they aren't immune to it but they can break it."

Everybody nodded at the theory. But suddenly something clicked in Riku, "Wait a minute! Kairi you said Sora told you. What did I miss?"

Kairi explained what had happened since he was stone frozen. He looked worried at the risen ground.

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><p>Sora was even quicker then Kairi. Xehanort couldn't keep up with most of the blows. He had to do something or he would lose. Sora hit Xehanort across the chest.<p>

Sora jumped back a bit to get a better stance.

"Enough of this, Vanitas should have defeated you." Xehanort bellowed.

Sora shook his head at him keeping his guard up he replied to this, "No. How dare you use him like that. I know that it was you who just stood by and watched his suffering. You corruptted him. But I made him see the light and now he is apart of mine."

Xehanort smirked at Sora's angry look. It looked like Ventus'. Xehanort was proud of his evil achievements.

Sora was disgusted at his smile. He let his keyblade vanish.

Xehanort looked at him with curiousity. What was he up to?

Sora extended out his hand and stated, "I am master Sora and I will make you pay for all you've done."

Suddenly a light shot at Sora. Xehanort remember seeing this light when he pointed it out to Terra eleven years ago.

Down below they all exclaimed, "Sora!" in worry for him.

The light vanished and in Sora's hand was the legendary X-Blade. Kingdom Hearts appeared over them. Xehanort looked with awe. Even without Vanitas he still wanted Sora for a host now more than ever.

Sora lifted up the keyblade to a fighting stance and went after Xehanort. He wasn't surprised and began to fight Sora with a complete X-Blade.

Xehanort wasn't surprised when he summoned it. Vanitas fusing with Sora would mean that Vanitas would have also fused with Ventus. Creating it.

Xehanort tried to stab Sora but he hopped back and swung to hit him. But Xehanort ducked and jumped back.

Collision after collision the X-Blade proved to be powerful. But Sora did not know the full extent of its power and used it like a regular keyblade, that was much more powerful.

They fought until finally Sora got his arm. Sora jumped back as Xehanort clutched his arm. He could feel the pain wasn't like if he got hit from a normal keyblade. It only made him crave it more.

Sora was near the edge. One little push and he would fall. Sora thought of something as he saw that Xehanort's balance was slightly off.

He stabbed the keyblade into the ground. Sora felt the power rising in the X-Blade. He managed to hold it in. He heard Xehanort running at him trying to stop him.

He held it. "Not yet." Sora said to himself. He watched as if everything went in slow motion and saw when his balance was most off.

'Now.'

He let the power out. Like a powerful wind the force blew Xehanort right near the edge. Sora held on to the keyblade and appeared unaffected by the blast. Xehanort got injured in the blast. It was the most powerful force he had ever experienced. He really craved the power.

But he knew that he would be no match for versing Sora right now, even if he didn't know its true potentional.

"We will fight again." Xehanort said as he summoned a dark pathway clutching his wounds.

Sora stood up and yelled, "No!" But when he took a step forward his legs almost gave way.

His vision blurred and he saw Xehanort enter the pathway and it then vanished.

Sora let the X-Blade vanish, he hoped he never had to use it again. Even with that much power in the force for good, it wasn't safe for anyone.

Sora being in a even weaker state after the blast finally lost himself in unconsiousness. He fell back falling of the cliff at an alarming speed.

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><p>They all stared at the risen ground, all hoping Sora was ok. All they did was hope and watch the cliff. They were cheering Sora on, even though they knew he couldn't hear them.<p>

Suddenly Donald shouted pointing, "What's that!"

They all looked to see a figure falling. All they could make out was spiky brown hair.

"Sora!" They all shrieked. Riku was the first to start running towards the cliff.

"He's falling way too fast!" Lea yelled.

"Sora!" Kairi shouted hoping that it would reach him.

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><p><em>"Sora!" <em>

He heard her voice. Sora was in his dive to heart.

Kairi..." Sora mumbled weakly.

"I have to-"

Sora was cut off, "You don't need to do anything."

He looked up to see a spiky headed blond walk out of light. Sora saw it wasn't Roxas. Only one name popped up in his head.

_Ventus_

"But my friends-"

Ventus cut him off again, "Are safe."

"But Xehanort." Sora began.

"He's gone. For now. You've won the battle Sora. But the war has only began."

Sora frowned. More battles to fight. Sora felt close to this person. He felt like he's known him forever. But he knew that couldn't be.

Ventus smiled shyly, "I'm sorry. I couldn't protect you from Vanitas. All of this could have been avoided if I was stronger."

Sora looked up and shook his head, "Thats not your fault, its not your job to protect me. But who are you?"

Ventus smiled, "You know my name don't you. In case you don't I'm Ventus. And Sora I find its actually is my job to protect you. You're very dear to me, I hope you know that."

Before Sora could ask anymore questions his legs gave way. Ventus caught him and eased his way unto the ground. Sora was now struggling, he kept thinking he needed to stay awake.

Ventus gently said, "Sora rest now."

"But." Sora weakly added. Even though he was unaware that he was falling. Sora had some sense that something bad was happening.

Ventus smiled, "Sora you've done well."

"I'll take care of the rest." Ventus promised.

Sora trusted him, more than he realized. Sora gave in to blissful unconsiousness. Ventus got to his feet, he was aware that he was falling and he was going to make sure he kept his promise.

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><p>They kept running. But Sora was falling way too fast. He was almost at the ground and they were still far away. Suddenly a light surrounded Sora. They all stopped and watched as the light began to slow down Sora. The light gracefully set Sora down.<p>

They all snapped out of their daze as Riku sprinted to Sora's side. He slid as he kneeled down to Sora.

Riku examined Sora. He saw that there were a few scratches on his arms but that was it.

He also saw that Sora was breathing very steady. He sighed in relief. The others caught up and Kairi fretted, "Is he okay?"  
>Riku replied, "He's fine."<p>

Many sighs of relief were heard. Kairi kneeled down seeing Sora's chest rise.

"But where did Xehanort go?" Riku asked.

Mickey replied, "I don't know but today we've won."

Kairi didn't pay any attention to their coversation. While they were talking she placed Sora's head on her lap and held his hand, putting it against her cheek.

Lea continued talking about how Xehanort was a coward and Riku was the only one who realized what Kairi was doing.

Riku smirked at the thought of Sora waking up at that moment, he would blush then pass out again.

"We should get Sora out of here and get him properly checked up." Riku stated.

Kairi let go of Sora's hand and nodded along with everyone else.

Riku picked up Sora bridal style and they all began to walk back to the Gummi Ship to get him back to Yen Sid.

Lea looked at Sora and smiled. _'Just like we promised, right Roxas? Even though that this time I had a little help.'_ Lea thought.

Everyone was happy. Xehanort was gone, or for now at least and Sora was safe.

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><p><strong>Just so you know this story is <span>far<span> from over, Vanitas may be gone but I still got more planned. And also on another note Ventus is meant to be like an older brother to Sora.**

**Please Review!**


	16. Preparing

**I do not own Kingdom Hearts.**

**This chapter isn't the most exciting but it still relevant to the plot. Very relevant.**

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><p>Donald and Kairi were at the back of the Gummi Ship tended to Sora.<p>

"Curaga." Donald cast as he did many times before. Most of the scratches on Sora's arms were healed.

Donald quietly giggled to himself as he saw Kairi stroke her hand through his hair. Donald was thinking of how Sora would react to Kairi doing this. 'Blush and faint' were the only two in mind. Riku approached then and kneeled down next to Kairi.

"How is he?" Riku asked.

"Good. But it'll be better if Yen Sid checks on him." Donald replied. Donald then realized something.

"Wait who's driving?" Donald frantically asked.

"Lea." Riku answered.

Donald turned to see spiky red hair poking up from the pilots chair. He then to watch Lea to make sure he didn't crash. Riku watched Kairi continueously stroke Sora's hair. He let out a laugh and asked,

"What would you do if Sora woke up right now?"

Kairi stopped stroking his hair and was about to reply.

"Were here!" Lea annouced cutting off Kairi.

"You were saying?" Riku asked wanting to hear her say it.

"Nevermind we got to get Sora to Yen Sid." Kairi scrambled to her feet.

Riku frowned. She almost admitted it. Kairi was the first out of the Gummi Ship, getting away from Riku and his questions. Riku picked Sora up piggy back style. And he said to the still unconscious Sora, "Don't worry buddy sooner or later she'll come round."

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><p>They all strolled up to Yen Sid's study. Yen Sid took one look at Sora and stood immediately. Yen Sid instructed Riku to place him against the wall.<p>

He then cast on Sora some sort of healing magic. He said that he would be fine after some rest. After he sat back in his chair they started explaining at what happened. Everyone had a part to say. Riku was the last one to speak. He began to speak about when Sora fell.

"What saved him?" Yen Sid asked before he could finished.

"A light."

Everybody turned to the source of the groan. Sora was using the wall to help support himself. Kairi leaped at him hugging him exclaiming,

"You're okay!"

Sora returned the hug, it was short but sweet. Sora then began to explain what happened filling in the blanks. All he mentioned was that he defeated Vanitas and seeing Xehanort run away.

"I don't know why but somehow I could summon the X-Blade." Sora lied. Sora didn't want to tell them about what he did with Vanitas. That was something personal that didn't need to be said.

Riku was the first to blurt out the question, "What was the light that saved you?"

Sora looked at him confused, "Huh?"

Kairi explained, "You fell off the cliff. Do you remember?"

Sora took a moment to think and shook his head. But he then remembered his encounter with Ventus.

_"I'll take care of the rest."_

"So thats what he meant." Sora mumbled to himself, so that was what he meant. Everyone looked at him with confusion no one heard him at first.

He continued, "Ventus must have saved me."

Yen Sid and Mickey were the most surprised.

"Ven?" Mickey asked Sora. Kairi and Riku remembered vaguely when they spoke of him.

Sora nodded, "He told me that he would take care of the rest. He must of knew that I was in trouble."

He put his hand over his heart silently thanking him.

Yen Sid nodded. "Sora we'll talk more of this later. For know its best that we start preparing for Xehanort's next move. Kairi. Lea. You both have shown surperb skill with the keyblade. It is time to see if you can show the mark of mastery."

Lea smirked while Kairi asked, "Are you sure?"

Yen Sid nodded. Riku spoke up, "Master Yen Sid."

Everybody looked towards Riku.

"I wish to take the test again."

That shocked everyone. Riku continued, "I need to prove to myself I can be a keyblade master. I've felt unworthy lately. I couldn't even save Sora when I had so many chances."

"Riku." Sora sighed.

"I need this." Riku looked with pleading eyes.

Yen Sid reluctantly nodded and replied, "Very well."

Sora looked at Riku sadly. Sora felt this was his fault. Yen Sid wanted to start immediately. Kairi looked at Sora. She just got him back and this time she had to go.

Sora saw Kairi's face and he smiled, "Don't worry I'll be here when you get back."

Kairi smiled back and nodded. They left for the realm of sleep. Sora stayed at the mysterious tower with Mickey, Donald and Goofy. No one knew of the darkness that stirred.

* * *

><p>Darkness. Nothing but the darkness. She wandered the darkness for a long time. How long, she didn't know.<p>

But she still looked for a way back to her friends. She listened to the waves, almost soothing.

It was a while since she saw the creatures of the dark. They were like the unversed but slightly different. They were made of nothing but pure darkness.

She decided to go check it out. She walked around away from the dark meridian. As she walked she saw a bunch of creatures surrounding something. She summoned her keyblade. Rainfell.

She destroyed them with many swings. After they vanished she saw they were surrounding someone. She knew this person. She stumbled back as she stared at the unconscious figure.

She fell back and mumbled, "Terra?"

_Terra_

* * *

><p><strong>Please Review! <strong>


	17. No Longer Alone

**I do not own KH**

**Since I wrote this before KH3D Riku and Kairi I'm not going to write about them meeting dream eaters and stuff. I'll definitely do it in my KH3D info remake of the story, but of course I need to finish this one first. And sorry I've been gone so long, but you know. Life.**

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><p>Before Kairi, Riku and Lea left for the exam they found the princesses and Kairi released them from their prison of stone and they returned to there respected worlds. Hours had past since Riku and Kairi left and there was no sign of Xehanort.<p>

The thought of him causing more strife put Sora on edge. During this time Yen Sid and Sora discussed privately on the X-Blade and Sora decided to confess what happened to Vanitas.

"Please don't tell anyone else." Sora stated, he didn't know why he wanted to keep it to himself. He just did. He thought that maybe Vanitas was insecure about it.

Yen Sid stroked his beard, "Sora what you have done hasn't ever been done before. If it was good or bad, I do not know. You accepted the half of someone elses darkness."

To Sora it sounded more of a lecture than rather a thought out loud.

"He was so alone, I had to. I couldn't just stand by and watch him suffer."

Yen Sid nodded, "I know why you did it Sora. Your heart is true, which is very rare. I warn you to tread cautiously though. Xehanort will want your ability and darkness will be at every corner."

Sora nodded at the old master.

"I will keep it a secret for now Sora, but if the occasion calls for others to know I will speak of it."

Sora nodded again looking up, "Yes of course. I'll tell them myself if I have to."

With that Sora left Yen Sid's study to join Donald and Goofy who were laying out on the grass outside the tower with King Mickey.

* * *

><p>Xehanort was recovering from his ordeal with Sora. He didn't care about that. All that he cared about was that Sora could summon the X-Blade.<p>

Vanitas was within him as well. No one knew except him and Braig, Xehanort had secretly embedded his own darkness within Vanitas without him knowing.

Xehanort couldn't help but think that this was all too perfect.

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><p>She recognized the clothing and everything. This was definitely Terra. She shook him hard, "Terra!"<p>

He began to moan awake. He opened his eyes to what seemed like many lifetimes ago. The first thing he saw after years was a familiar blue haired woman.

"A-Aqua?"

This confirming it was him she launched her arms around him and held back sobs.

"Too long, Terra. Too long."

Terra found the strength to hug her back. They held the hug for many minutes.

Aqua withdrew from the hug and asked, "But how are you here?"

Terra took a moment for memories to return. The last thing he remembered was arguing with Xehanort about who could control his body.

He honestly answered back with his own confusion, "I don't know...I can't remember, but how are you here? And where's Ven? Is he safe?"

Aqua couldn't help but look away as asked and she helped him up. She avoided the questions,

"Now we're both trapped in this place."

Terra saw that this place was hopeless, but Aqua still had a small glimmer of hope and sadness. What had happened to Ven?

"Well maybe we could find a way out. Together."

He extended out his hand towards her, hoping to share some sort of comfort for her and she took it.

"I've got a lot to tell you Terra. But first what happened to Ven..."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, Goofy and Mickey lazily lied on the ground watching the unchanging starry sky.<p>

"I wonder how their doing." Sora said out of the blue.

"Don't worry Sora, they'll be fine and be back soon enough. Hours here is twice the amount there." Mickey answered to his statement.

"Yeah." Donald and Goofy nodded in agreement.

Sora sat up and asked, "Hey guys, is it my fault Riku wanted to do it again? I can't help but feel responsible."

Everyone else sat up and Mickey responded, "Sora. Riku felt he needed to do it again because he felt he couldn't save or protect you. This is no ones fault, Riku just feels he needs to prove himself again."

Sora sighed. That was an indirect way of saying it was partly his fault. Sora purposely fell back down staring at the sky, everyone else followed his example again.

Suddenly Sora was sucked into sleep.

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><p>Many hours of running around worlds and fighting mysterious creatures, Kairi said to herself after releasing the keyhole, "Three down, four to go."<p>

Lea himself was at the same world finishing at the same time as a Kairi but it was different because as long as they were doing the test even if they were in the same world they would be in a different 'dimension'.

Riku was finishing his fifth keyhole. Doing everything in his power to feel worthy again, he was slowly recovering but it still haunted him.

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><p>Sora was nothing but an endless black room. He wandered it for a very long. He wondered if there was even an end.<p>

As he walked he saw a figure beginning to emerge. He summoned the Kingdom Key in defense. The figure stepped from the shadows and said,

"I would have thought that surely in your mind you would at least summon the X-Blade."

Sora glared at him, "What are you doing here, Xehanort?"

Xehanort laughed, "In your mind? It's the darkness Sora. Your darkness has been interrupted and soon it will consume you."

He left out the fact that it was his own darkness that was fusing with Sora's.

"The light is stronger!"

Xehanort wanted to laugh again but didn't.

"You will begin to feel stronger as your darkness grows if you accept it. If you fight it then you will get weaker and your heart will collasp."

Sora barked back at him, "And you expect me to believe that!"

"You can't stop it Sora. No one can not even your little princess."

Sora glare hardened, "You leave Kairi out of this!"

Xehanort smirked, "When the darkness consumes and you serve me the first thing I'll have you do is destroy the girl."

"I'll never turn! And I would rather see my own heart collasp than hurt her."

"It'll happen sooner than you think."

With that Sora was zapped back into reality. Literally he was zapped with a small Thundaga.

* * *

><p>Donald and Goofy laughed as Sora sat up rubbing his eyes.<p>

"You fell asleep, so Donald and I decided to wake ya."

They began laughing again as Sora's hair stuck out in more directions than it did before. Sora shook his gravity defying hair and it instantly went back to normal. Sora looked around and notice that the king was nowhere in sight.

"Hey, wheres the King?"

With that the two stopped laughing and Donald replied, "Yen Sid wanted to see him."

Suddenly Mickey came rushing outside and exclaimed, "Yen Sid senses Riku's up to the last keyhole. Come on!"

"That was fast." Sora stated. Riku finished quick the first time but this was definitely faster. Donald and Goofy ran excited with the king as Sora walked at a slow pace in thought.

He thought about the dream, _'No doubt about it the dream was real, but was Xehanort telling the truth.'_

Suddenly Sora felt an unpleasant jolt go through his left arm. When he went to look at it he saw darkness flowing through it. But as soon it was there, it was gone the next and so was the strange feeling.

Sora held his left arm with his right and gasped.

Was he imagining things?

Sora wanted to believe that the feeling was an aftershock of Donald's Thundaga and that his eyes were playing tricks on him.

But he could tell in his heart that something was going to go terribly wrong.

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><p><strong>Sorry again I was gone so long. Please Review if you want more! :)<strong>


	18. Returning

**I do not own KH**

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><p>Riku looked above. The last keyhole began to glow. He completed this much too quickly to his thoughts.<p>

But somewhat of his self worth was recovered. But before he lifted his keyblade to unlock the world he made a vow. To always protect the ones he cares about the most. No matter what the cost.

He lifted 'Way to Dawn' and light shot out. A large clicking sound was followed.

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><p>Donald, Goofy and Mickey made it to Yen Sid's study.<p>

"Wait where's Sora?" Donald asked.

"I'm here." Sora laughed as he walked in, trying to hide the fact of his worry, he held his left arm as if he were holding it back or if it were in pain.

It when unnoticed. Yen Sid nodded and said, "Riku is unlocking the final keyhole. He should be arriving shortly."

They all nodded and waited. Sora finally let go of his arm and cautiously watched it. Before anyone could notice a light engulfed the room like a bolt of lightning.

The light vanished and where it shot was replaced with Riku.

"Riku!" Everyone happily greeted. He gave a short smile back and Yen Sid back to speak,

"Riku you have finished the exam yet again and in record time. Do you think you truly succeeded?"

He looked hesitant but eventually nodded yes. His pause made Sora uneasy.

Yen Sid nodded and replied, "You've finished the text again, Master Riku. I'll send word when Kairi or Lea is about to finish."

They all returned outside and Sora and Riku began talking out on the grass.

"So how are you, really?"

"I should be asking you, Sora." Guilt was beginning to show on Riku's face.

Sora saw and sternly looked at him, "I'm fine Riku, everything turned out okay. Now tell me how you really are?"

Riku looked as if surprised and replied with the guilt retreating, "I'm okay now. You're the one that made me worry so much you knuckle head."

With that Riku gave him a noogie. After he finished Sora rubbed his head and gave him a large grin.

Mickey walked up to Riku and said, "You did great, Master Riku."

Donald and Goofy nodded in agreement. Riku smiled at being called 'master.'

* * *

><p>Suddenly everyone froze, Sora looked worriedly at them and he then heard a voice behind him.<p>

"You can't escape me, boy."

Sora summoned his keyblade and ferociously ran at him and swung his keyblade at him, but it went straight through him.

Xehanort bitterly laughed, "I'm just an illusion, nothing more. I'm here to remind you that you will be mine."

"We'll see about that!" Sora angrily yelled. He had never been so angry before. Perhaps the darkness was getting to him.

Xehanort gave a toothy grin at Sora, "Take a look at the keyblade you hold so dear."

Sora glanced at his keyblade and gasped in shock. He dropped it on instinct. the kingdom key was completely black and pulsed out darkness.

"You can't fight it for long." With that Xehanort's illusion disappeared.

Sora fell to his knees and felt darkness prickle as he felt anger. Sora looked at his arms and both were flowing with darkness. Sora exhaled and muttered,

"No. I won't."

With the strength he had he stood back up and calmed himself down and the darkness retracted. As soon as his arms stopped pulsing with darkness the kingdom key returned to normal and vanished in light.

* * *

><p>Time resumed and Riku was about to say something but noticed Sora was no longer beside him. It went noticed by everyone else too.<p>

Riku turned and saw Sora's back was turned on them and he was looking out into the empty void.

"Sora?" Riku asked as he approached his friend.

"How did you get over here so quickly?"

Sora stood silent for a moment and answered coldly,

"None of your business."

Riku flinched at Sora's mood change. Sora saw and he seemed to snap out of whatever he was in.

"I'm sorry."

Riku asked, "Sora, whats going on?"

Sora shook his head, ignoring the question, "I'll be back soon."

Riku now really confused asked, "Where are you going?"

The question drew the attention of Donald, Goofy and Mickey.

Sora continued to ignore everyone and summoned his keyblade that was thankfully normal and opened the keyhole to leave. Before anyone could stop him he vanished in light.

Mickey and the others ran to Riku's side.

"Where did he go?" Mickey asked.

Riku shook his head and honestly answered, "I don't know he said he would be back soon. Somethings wrong. When he gets back I'm going to find out what."

* * *

><p>The loneliness he once felt was cold and dark. But Sora's heart was warm and full of light. Vanitas enjoyed it. He didn't feel alone anymore.<p>

Ventus was deep within Sora's heart. He and Vanitas were face to face once again, but this time Vanitas actually greeted Ventus with no intention in destroying him.

Ventus was aware of all that happen and was somewhat proud of Sora. Ventus and Vanitas actually began to talk of what had happened. Vanitas explained how Xehanort manipulated him and hated it.

Ventus was never aware and he told Vanitas that if he knew and had the strength he wouldn't have let that happen.

Because the influence of Sora's heart Vanitas was much kinder, even though he was darkness. Not all darkness was bad.

But Vanitas and Ventus both noticed that something was blocking their direct connection with Sora and something was begining to affect his heart.

So they couldn't reach out to Sora to talk to him. But if Sora reached out they could. The two both hoped that Sora would because equally concerned for him.

* * *

><p>Sora jumped down near the dirt. He went back to where it all started. He hoped this would help him figure it out.<p>

The Keyblade Graveyard.

Maybe he would find some answers.

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><p><strong>Like it? Want more? Please Review! :)<strong>


	19. An Old Enemy

**I do not own KH**

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><p>"So, whats happening with the kid?" Braig asked followed by a smirk.<strong><br>**

Xehanort grinned and answered, "The boy is slowly being converted. My darkness is darker than most. It should have no problem making him ours."

Braig smirked again as they walked between lanes of the worlds through darkness. Deciding to change the subject he asked a different question,

"So where do you wanna set up HQ for now?"

Xehanort paused for a moment thinking carefully. It then came to him,

"Darkness is spreading in worlds more then ever now that the X-Blade has been forged. Light is beginning to weaken. This will give us the chance to taint the Cornerstone of Light. We will need assistance. We should go visit an old friend."

Braig rolled his eyes knowing whom and opened up the correct pathway as Xehanort and himself entered.

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><p>The world was a prison of Xehanort's own creation. But only servants of true darkness and those with no darkness could open the world. A Servant of Darkness was trapped.<p>

A familiar figure raged from the shadows towards Xehanort and Braig.

"How dare you trap me in this world!"

Xehanort laughed, "It has been a while, Maleficent ."

She sneered at him, "I take it you came for a reason."

"Another chance. If you serve me well."

She angrily spat at him, "Why would I help you!"

"I can give you more power of true darkness. The true power. Fight along side me and I will grant you this."

Maleficent wanted this power more than anything, but she wanted to know why he would release her,

"If I say yes, What are you planning to do?"

Braig answered for Xehanort, "We're planning on tainting the Cornerstone of light and capturing the keyblade wielder, Sora. You could see this as a revenge."

She needed no more encouragement.

"Yes. But first get me out of this blasted prison."

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><p>Sora stood alone wandering the endless amount of keys.<p>

He looked up at the cliff where he had fought Xehanort and summoned the X-Blade. He stared as memories hit him like a slap to the face. He ripped away his gave and looked down.

Nothing was helping. He put a hand over his heart. Perhaps if he looked deep enough within himself he could find the answer.

* * *

><p>After Sora shut his eyes, he immediately opened them to find himself in his Dive to Heart. He looked around with awe. It didn't matter how many times he came it still was amazing to him.<p>

"Sora!"

He heard someone yell. He turned to see Vanitas running up to him. Vanitas smiled at him and said, "It's so good to see you. We need to talk."

Sora could sense his attitude change, it was kinder and calmer.

"I needed to talk to you too."

Vanitas began to explain, "We haven't been able to talk to you. Something has been blocking our connection, so we couldn't talk to you. I'm glad your okay. For now at least."

"We?" Sora asked.

Vanitas realized and said, "Oh I was talking about myself and Ventus."

Sora nodded realizing it couldn't have been anyone else.

"Where is Ventus now?"

"Right here." With that he put a hand on Sora's shoulder.

Sora wasn't startled. Ventus continued, "Something is happening with your heart Sora. Vanitas and I can't fight whatever it is, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I think it maybe something to do with Xehanort and his darkness, But I'm sure I can fight it!" Sora was determined.

Vanitas nodded while putting his hand on Sora's other shoulder, "You have our support. If you need to talk to us, you know where to find us."

Ventus agreed with his darkness and continued from Vanitas, "We'll try and find out what he did, but for now Sora go back to your friends. You'll need them as much as you need them."

Sora nodded and the next he blinked he returned to the wasteland of a world.

* * *

><p>Riku paced back and forward rather quickly. Kairi and Lea was up to her final keyhole and Sora wasn't back. After what happened with Sora it made him extremely worried.<p>

Donald and Goofy shared Riku's worry. They paced the opposite directions Riku was going in. Mickey seemed confident Sora would be back in time.

Suddenly Riku's worry settled as a light of a keyhole began to glow brighter than the stars and Sora appeared and his keyblade vanished in light.

"Sora! Where have you been?" Riku sounded worse than a mother. Sora knew he had this coming as Donald also squawked that at him.

"I wanted to see why I could summon the X-Blade so I went back to the Keyblade Graveyard for answers. I didn't find any."

It was like his tongue was twisted. He couldn't say anything about the darkness for some reason. He wanted to but something was holding him back.

Riku understood and changed the subject knowing the X-Blade was getting him down,

"Well hurry up. Kairi's up to her last keyhole!"

Sora smiled and ran with everyone back up to the study.

_"No one can save you, not even your little princess."_

The words echoed in Sora's head. Xehanort wouldn't as much lay a finger on her with him around.

* * *

><p>This was it. She was going to pass the rank of master. Kairi didn't know how but she made it.<p>

All she could think was how proud Riku and Sora would be of her.

She muttered under her under her breath before lifting her keyblade up, "I can do this."

* * *

><p>All this wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for a promise he had made.<p>

Roxas. Sora. They were different, but he felt the same around him like when it was his nobody and Sora's nobody.

Lea took a long look at his keyblade. He lifted it.

"Master huh? I don't think I'm going to get used to that."

* * *

><p>The Disney Castle flourished. The world had been untouched for sometime, but something was stirring and was going really bad. That much Queen Minnie could tell.<p>

She missed her beloved King but knew why he had to go. But she couldn't help but worry about him.

Minnie was on her way to the throne room and as she stepped in the door slammed shut. She flinched at glanced at the door.

"And so we meet again your highness."

Minnie turned back around to the throne. A familiar enemy sat on the King's throne. But she couldn't be here. Not really. The light of the Cornerstone wouldn't allow it.

"How are you here?" Minnie asked with authority.

"Your precious Cornerstone has weakened. The perfect time to taint it with darkness."

Minnie noticed that Maleficent had more power from the darkness. It was frightening.

"Don't worry about the inhabitants of the castle. They are being..." There was a pause in her words, "Taken care of."

Worried for her people Minnie turned back to the door to find the handles were gone.

She gasped and backed away from the door as darkness nibbled at it making it untouchable.

"Now, now your majesty. Where would you going at a time like this."

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><p><strong>I almost forgot about Maleficent. I hope she was a nice plot twist.<strong>

** Want more chapters? Please Review! **


	20. To Disney Castle

**I do not own KH**.

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><p>They all eagerly waited in the study. They all wondered who would arrive first. Suddenly two lights shot down in the room. The light took a while to die down and there stood Kairi and Lea.<p>

This surprised everyone because they finished at the same time.

"Kairi! Lea!" Everyone happily greeted. As soon as Kairi saw Sora smiling she flew herself to hug with him as a thank you for keeping your promise.

Sora returned the hug and congratulated her, "You did great."

After the excitment died down Yen Sid began to speak, "Kairi, Lea. You have both finished the test. At the same time."

Lea laughed and answered, "Kairi and I had this sort of sense when we were near each other so we decided to finish together. On that note I waited for her."

Everyone couldn't help smile at the comment.

Yen Sid nodded and continued, "You have passed the exam. But it will be completely up to your deeds now to live up to the name master."

The roaring of cheers rolled around the room, that meant they were masters.

"Master..." Lea repeated. He was a master.

Kairi had an uncontrollable smile. She was a princess of heart and a keyblade master.

After the cheers the Gummi Ship was heard hovering outside the tower. On some sort speaker Dale was heard from outside,

"Guys it's urgent! Come to the Gummi Ship now!"

Everyone didn't spend another moment and they ran outside.

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><p>Mickey was the first to ask when they got to the Gummi Ship, "Chip, Dale. What's wrong?"<p>

Chip frantically yelled, "We were looking at the scanners and well. Look."

They rolled out a screen showing them. On the screen was Disney Castles keyhole shrouded in darkness.

"WHAT!" Everyone yelled in shock.

"We need to go. Now. Darkness shouldn't be able to get near there." Mickey stated with worry.

They nodded with equal amount of worry.

"Lea you should stay with Yen Sid. This could be a trap." He reluctantly obeyed Sora's order.

"Kairi-" He was cut off.

"I'm not going to stay here."

Sora grinned, "I know, I was just about to say buckle in."

Kairi looked up and smiled at Sora. He understood her ranking now.

So with Sora at the wheel, Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Riku and Kairi left to see what was happening at Disney Castle.

* * *

><p>They ventured to the keyhole until they saw familiar creatures.<p>

"Heartless?" Sora questioned as he quickly dodged and shot at them.

"This is the first time I've seen them in a while and why are their so many." Sora saw a gigantic wave guarding the keyhole.

Someone obviously didn't want them there. Sora exclaimed, "Hold on, everyone."

Riku didn't like the look in his eyes.

Sora flicked the turbo boost on and zoomed straight for them. Like a power drill he began spinning the ship while shooting lazers. Sora flicked down the switches and then stopped the spinnning.

Kairi and Riku regained their balance and exchanged looks about Sora's insane driving.

Sora began dodging with extreme accuracy. And finished of the last heartless and zoomed through the keyhole.

"Great Job, Sora!" Donald complimented. Goofy nooded and did his trademark laugh.

Riku, Kairi and the King exchanged looks this time knowing that Donald and Goofy thought that Sora's driving was normal.

* * *

><p>They landed in the Gummi Ship bay quietly and quickly.<p>

"We're here." Sora grinned as he opened the door to get out. Riku had never seen Sora fight the heartless near keyholes before. It was intriguing.

They made their wayup the stairs into the castle. Mickey led the way. When they were about to turn a corner Mickey extended out his arm and quickly whispered, "Wait."

A few heartless ran by and went down another hall.

"Donald, Goofy and Kairi. I need you to go follow the heartless and try to find everyone. Sora, Riku we gotta go find Minnie."

They split up. Mickey led the way for Sora and Riku while Donald and Goofy led the way with Kairi.

* * *

><p>"What!" Mickey exclaimed as he saw the throne room door flow with darkness. He tried to touch it but it burned like a flame.<p>

Riku tried and failed as well. From the room they heard a familiar shriek,

"Ahhhh!"

"We need to get to her!" Mickey yelled summoning his keyblade. Sora tackled the door and it surprisingly opened.

The door way to the Cornerstone of Light was seen to be open. Mickey ran in without any second thoughts while the darkness 'flames' surrounding Sora's arm.

Riku saw and ran to his side. "Sora are you okay?"

Sora shot back a reply, "I'm fine. Go help Mickey."

Riku looked reluctant but he ran after Mickey. Sora stared at his arm as the darkness disappeared. It didn't hurt him like it hurt the others.

He shook it off and ran summoning his keyblade after the others.

* * *

><p>They found their way to the garden. For Donald and Goofy it was a lot like Deja Vu.<p>

Everyone from the castle were being held hostage with heartless shadows patrolling around them.

Donald yelled, "THUNDAGA!" Five heartless were obliterate. That's when Kairi and Goofy came out and easily took the rest out.

One of the castle servants spoke to Goofy, "Thank you, Goofy. But you must find the queen she is in grave danger."

Donald stepped in and asked, "Who came to the castle."

The servant answered back fearfully, "Maleficent."

* * *

><p>Mickey ran down followed by Riku and saw Maleficent vanish in green flames laughing menacingly. Minnie was unconscious on the ground. Mickey was by her side in an instant.<p>

"Minnie!" He called out. She awoke with a gasp.

"What happened?" He asked while helping her up. At this point Sora had arrived and knew he was too late.

Minnie let it comeback and she said, "I tried my best to protect it. But..."

She turned around now facing the dull gray Cornerstone of Light.

"She tainted it."

* * *

><p><strong>I had a lot of time today so, here's a bonus extra chapter! :)<strong>

**Want more? Please Review!**


	21. Hope for the Cornerstone

**I do not own KH**

* * *

><p>Mickey slammed his fist unto the ground. If only he came quicker or realized sooner. This was his kingdom. And he failed to protect them. Minnie put a hand on his shoulder trying to comfort him.<p>

Riku grunted, "Dammit!"

Sora asked Minnie from a far, "Who attacked you and the Cornerstone?"

Minnie looked down in shame and muttered, "Maleficent is back."

He didn't look shocked but more surprised that she didn't comeback sooner. Sora also saw as if everyone had given up on the light. He couldn't help but feel helpless his own darkness, but this was one they could fight.

Sora shook his head and clenched his fists , "Come on guys! We can always still fight. The Cornerstone is tainted right? So all we need to do is get more light to stop the darkness."

Mickey lifted his head with a slight glimmer of hope, "That might be possible."

Minnie helped Mickey to his feet. "But Mickey..."

Mickey responded back as if he read her mind, "I know but we have no choice."

Riku tilted his head, "So there is a way to save the Cornerstone?"

Minnie nodded, "But it is very dangerous. To amplify the light we are going to get a deep sea diamond."

Sora scratched his head, "Deep sea diamond?"

Mickey answered, "Yes, they are extremely rare and they are deep in the ocean floor. But the reason why we haven't retrieved another is because the worlds weren't connected like now and the journey is extremely dangerous."

Minnie continued, "Besides that we also need light from a-"

She was cut off as Kairi, Donald and Goofy ran in.

Minnie couldn't help but smile at the luck.

"A princess of heart."

"Wait what's going on?" Donald asked.

They quickly filled them in on a brief summary of what had happened.

Sora asked after they filled them in, "So where do we find this deep sea diamond?"

Mickey replied, "It is found in the world of Atlantica."

Sora smiled and said, "No problem. Donald, Goofy and I have already been there. More than twice. So are you guys up for the mission?"

He gestured to Donald and Goofy. The two nodded.

"Don't worry ya majesty, we'll find this er diamond." Goofy reassured the King.

Mickey couldn't help but smile gratefully to his most trusted friends.

Minnie then said, "We'll leave that up to you then. Please hurry back, the Cornerstone looks like it won't survive much longer."

The three saluted and were about to leave. Riku stopped Sora, "Sora be careful and after this is over we need to have a talk. Until then the rest of us will hold down the fort."

Sora hesitantly nodded and he glanced at Kairi for a moment. In that moment a whole conversation was spoken with a word.

Kairi's eyes first said, _"Sora take care."_

_"I will Kairi, you be careful fighting off the heartless."_

_"I'm not the one I'm concerned about."_

Sora gave her a gigantic grin and ran to catch up with Donald and Goofy.

* * *

><p>A few minutes after Sora left the remaining people help the inhabitants of the castle somewhere safe and they began to defend the remains of the castle.<p>

Mickey got straight to the point, "I'll guard my people. You protect Minnie and the Cornerstone."

Kairi and Riku nodded not daring to ask why Minnie remained with the Cornerstone of Light. When they returned they saw Minnie holding a small sphere in her hand and it looked like she was struggling to hold it.

"Minnie is that some sort of spell?" Riku asked the Queen.

Through her concentration she managed to speak, "Yes, I'm using the light within me to help hold back the darkness so I can buy Sora, Donald and Goofy some more time. But it is difficult to maintain."

"Don't worry your highness just try keeping it up, we'll protect you."

At this point heartless began to appear in the room and Riku had already slayed one.

* * *

><p>Donald cast his spell and the next thing they all knew they were in the water in their different forms. They all had a bit of a swim around.<p>

Sora swam around and laughed, "I almost forgot how much fun this is!"

"Come on Sora we need to focus!" Donald gently scolded.

Sora laughed nervously, "Oh yeah, sorry. We should go talk to King Triton, maybe he could point us in the right direction."

* * *

><p>"Sora, Donald and Goofy! Long time no see!" The red crab happily swam to them from outside the underwater palace.<p>

"Hey there Sebastian!" Goofy happily greeted.

"We need to see King Triton. Sorry but we're here on business."

Sebastian nodded, "Of course, follow me."

They followed Sebastian to the throne room.

"Your majesty, we've got visitors here to see ya."

The trio bowed in respect for the king.

King Triton warmly greeted them, "Sora, Donald, Goofy. It's good to see you again."

Donald looked around and asked, "Where's Ariel?"

King Triton kept his soft features and replied, "I made her human so she could be with the man she loves. They got married a while back."

Goofy nodded happily, "Good for her."

Sora then got straight to the point and explained what had happened and then asked, "We came here to find a deep sea diamond, do you have any idea where we could find one?"

King Triton looked slightly shocked.

"They are with in the deepest trenches, west from here. It is said that Ursula's darkness lingers there twisting the terrain, making it almost impossible to get them. Sebastian can you please show them to the trenches."

Sebastian looked unsure but responded back with, "Yes your majesty."

Hence the three began to follow Sebastian to the trenches.

* * *

><p>While swimming Sora suddenly felt a tingling sensation that was unpleasant for him. Then he heard a voice in his mind,<p>

_"So where are you right now? Trying to save the Cornerstone no doubt."_

Sora kept swimming hiding the fact Xehanort was talking to him.

_"Ignoring me are we? So where are you? I'm going to eventually find you."_

Sora mentally yelled, _"No, I'm not going to let you get to me. This is my heart and I'm till strong enough to fight!"_

He mentally pushed Xehanort out of his mind. He didn't know for how long though and how he got the connection with him.

All he hoped was to keep him out until he could talk to Riku about it. Telling Donald and Goofy would put the mission in jeopardy he thought and he knew that Riku would understand.

But little did Sora know was he didn't push him out for long.

* * *

><p><strong>Poor Sora. He's hearing Xehanort in his head now.<strong>

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	22. Finding the Deep Sea Diamond

**I do not own KH.**

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><p>They looked down to see jagged rocks pointing from all sides and a cold current swirled around them.<p>

It was the closest opening to the trenches. One of many pathways

"We're here." Sebastian muttered as he looked down the trench.

"Don't worry Sebastian, we can take it from. Tell King Triton he has our thanks."

Sebastian eager to leave nodded and said before he swam off, "Be careful."

"We will." Goofy said back as Sebastian swam away from the trench.

"The deep sea diamonds are meant to be found right at the bottom." Donald stated.

Sora nodded and said, "Well we gotta hurry."

With that the three began to swim down the trench. They couldn't swim to fast or they would of cut themselves on the rocks.

Sora lead the way without knowing exactly where they were going. The path was getting more narrow and it was getting harder to maneuver around the jagged rocks.

After a short while an opening was finally seen and they all squeezed through it one by one and they saw a sandy bottom. Even though it was a challenge to get down there, Sora felt it was almost too easy.

* * *

><p>It was completely pitch black, they couldn't see a thing. Sora summoned his keyblade and shot light out of it so they could see. The light lingered and remained in the same spot in the water. The light revealed two other pathways out. Sora swam up and found it was an air pocket. He swam back down.<p>

"Let's start searchin" Goofy said as they all nodded and slightly spread out.

Donald began to dig like a dog in some spots in the sand. He had no luck. Sora gently moved the sand around but he had no luck either.

Goofy didn't have any hands to dig with so he just slowly swam around examining the sand. When looking Goofy saw a shine at the corner of his eye.

He swam towards where he had seen the glimmer and he moved the sand around with his nose. After the sand was moved a beautiful clear diamond was seen, it was rather small.

"I found one!" Goofy exclaimed making Sora and Donald instantly at his side.

"Well done Goofy!" Donald congratulated. Sora picked it up and held it firmly.

Just as Sora was about to say something a shadow cast over the light. They all noticed and turned. It was about over a dozen octopus like heartless.

Not knowing what else to do Sora put the diamond in his mouth and summoned his keyblade. He needed both hands and he didn't have any pockets to put it in.

It was harder to slay the heartless in water. They were all generally easy, but unlike most heartless they spat out some sort of needles.

Goofy hit a heartless and it went flying towards the wall. A large crack appeared in the wall but nothing happened and no one noticed.

Sora defeated one and turned around to see Donald about to be attacked from behind. The heartless began to puff up about to spit the strange needles at him.

"Donald! Look out!"

Donald was turning around and it was about to spit them out. Out of instinct Sora zoomed towards Donald and managed to push him out of harms way just before the needles were about to hit him. But a rather large needle managed to go through Sora's left shoulder.

Sora grunted at his new injury and Goofy destroyed the heartless after it shot out the needles. Sora let his keyblade vanish and spat out the diamond and held it in his hand again.

Donald and Goofy swam over to Sora and Donald asked, "Are you okay?" Gesturing the wound.

Sora's vision blurred for a moment and then quickly returned to normal. Sora put on a grin hiding the pain he felt, "It's just a scratch. I'm fine."

Donald glared at him and knew it was a lie. Even though Goofy couldn't get mad he had a similar face.

"When we get back too the Gummi Ship, I'll take care of that. That way I can take a better look."

Sora nodded, "Okay, Lets just get out of here."

Donald went through first and just as Goofy was halfway in the whole ground began to shake. The crack gave way and rocks were about to tumble from the air pocket. Out of instinct again Sora pushed Goofy quickly through and he swam back as the rocks tumbled down blocking the path.

"SORA!" Donald and Goofy yelled from the other side.

Sora clutched his shoulder, it felt like it was burning now.

"I'm okay, you guys go ahead I'll go through another path to get back up."

"Be careful Sora. Your hurt. We'll come to you." Goofy called out.

"Just go."

Donald and Goofy frantically swam back up quickly, barely dodging the jagged rocks. But they didn't care. They needed to get to Sora.

* * *

><p><em>"Alone again, are we Sora?"<em>

Sora covered his ears. "Get out of my head!"

_"You do know that you can't talk about it."_

"Talk about what?" Sora asked out loud.

_"The darkness growing within you. Growing. Feeding. The darkness within you prevents you of speaking of it."_

Sora shook his head and yelled, "No!"

Not evening looking Sora began making his way up through the second path way to get back up.

His shoulder burned more than it did before, but he pushed through it.

_"You can't run away forever."_

Sora shook his head again, wanting Xehanort's voice to go away. This pathway was shorter than the other and he was out. Hoping getting out of that place would relieve him of Xehanort's voice. He was wrong.

_"I'll ask again, where are you?"_

Sora refused to answer. Suddenly he felt like someone was trying to get in his head. It felt worse than when he tried to fight back control from Vanitas.

He mentally pushed and said within his mind, _"Ventus. Vanitas. If you can hear me please, help give me strength to push him out of my head."_

Immediately Sora felt as if he was pushing against a door to keep Xehanort out. And suddenly Ventus and Vanitas were at his side helping him push. He felt stronger and he managed to shut the door.

He felt that Xehanort was gone, for now.

Sora opened up his hand and took a look at the diamond and clutched it once again.

Xehanort in his mind had almost made him forget the burning in his left shoulder. It suddenly went numb.

Sora's eyes blurred and he felt his body go limp and he gracefully floated down in the water to the sand beside him.

And unconsciousness took him without hearing his protests first.

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><p><strong>DUN DUN DUN. <strong>

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	23. Shining

**I do not own KH.**

* * *

><p>"We can't hold them off forever."<p>

Kairi agreed. Since the Cornerstone was tainted heartless came from everywhere. There would be a large wave then it would stop for a few minutes and tey would come back in larger numbers.

"Riku!" Kairi yelled.

"Right!" He confirmed as if reading her mind. He put out his hands, one on top of another and Kairi hopped on it and she used the boost to backflip backwards using gravity to get extra power in her swing wiping out the remaining heartless.

"That should be it for now." Riku muttered catching his breath along with Kairi.

And with that Minnie trying to still hold the orb was suddenly pushed back as the light orb exploded.

"Minnie!" Riku called out as Kairi and himself went to her side.

Minnie got up and said, "I'm sorry. I couldn't hold it anymore."

"You did the best you could." Kairi reassured.

"How long would it have now?" Riku asked obviously concerned.

"Less than an hour. Hopefully they would have found the diamond by now."

She took a breath and whispered, "Please let it be enough time."

Suddenly a new wave of heartless began to form.

"Stay back your highness, we'll protect you." Riku stated as he and Kairi got prepared to fight once again.

* * *

><p>Donald and Goofy made it out of the trench pathway and were making their way to another way in.<p>

As they frantically swam they saw a familiar figure on the ground near the second entrance.

"Sora!" They both exclaimed as they swam towards him. Even though he was unconscious, Sora still tightly clutched the deep sea diamond in his hand.

"Sora!" The two called out again.

"We need to get him back to the Gummi Ship!" Goofy said to Donald. The two did their best to somewhat carry Sora through the water.

* * *

><p>Sora jackknifed up suddenly taking a breath of air. He then used a hand to clutch his head. He felt like he got hit on the head with hundreds of coconuts.<p>

He looked to his side to see Donald eagerly looking at him.

"Sora, are you okay?"

He gave a little nod for a reply. But Sora couldn't see his own face. He was much paler than normal and he looked slightly clammy.

Donald continued, "The needles had some sort of knockout poison. I healed it and then did it properly when we got back to the Gummi Ship."

Sora looked around, he saw Goofy at the wheel of the Gummi Ship.

"Good to see your okay Sora!" Goofy said as he turned his head for a moment to look at him.

Sora smiled as a response.

Donald sighed, "I should have healed it as soon as you got it."

Sora sat up a bit more and replied, "It's not your fault, I'm okay."

Donald growled, "You should be a bit numb and weak for a while. Don't push yourself to hard. Now lay down!"

Sora obeyed Donald's order knowing there was no arguing with him. He opened up his hand to find the diamond.

He sighed in relief thinking for a moment he lost it. Donald returned to his post.

While laying on his back he asked Goofy, "How far are we from Disney Castle?"

"Not long, I've put on the wrap drive. We should arrive in the minute."

* * *

><p>Goofy quietly landed the Gummi Ship back in the hanger. Sora put the diamond in his pocket and attempted to stand. At first he had really bad balance but he quickly steadied himself.<p>

"We'll handle the heartless on the way there Sora."

Sora attempted to argue, "I can still fight." He almost went limp again.

Donald gave him a glare. Sora shook his head, "I'll take it easy, but I'll fight if I need to." He had no intention sticking by that statement but it made Donald stop glaring at him.

They began going through the halls. Sora pushed through his fatigue and ran fast than Donald and Goofy and swung his keyblade around fighting heartless.

At this point Donald and Goofy always kept one eye on Sora to make sure he was okay.

There were more heartless than before and they knew that wasn't good, especially since Sora was in the condition he was in.

Sora ran a head having a feeling something bad was going to happen. Donald and Goofy still had a few more heartless to destroy and they called out,

"Sora! Wait!" But it went unheard as Sora ran for the throne room. They destroyed the last of the heartless and ran after him.

* * *

><p>Kairi finished off a heartless and quickly turned to check on Riku. The last heartless was going to get him from behind. Before she hard time to warn him, a keyblade swung at it.<p>

"Sora!" She called out before she saw his face. She looked shocked and Riku was as well as he turned around. Sora fell to his knees as his keyblade vanished and panted for air.

He made it in the nick of time. Riku crouched down next to Sora and Kairi came running. Minnie approached the three, concerned.

Riku put a hand on Sora's shoulder. He felt Sora shaking. "Sora, what's wrong?" He asked frantically.

Donald and Goofy came running and saw Sora.

"Sora I told you to take it easy!" Donald lectured.

"You shouldn't go running by yourself." Goofy continued from Donald's statement.

"What happened?" Kairi asked not making much sense of it.

Donald explained, "Sora saved me from a strange heartless that spat at these needles. He got hit by one and it was some sort of knockout poison."

Sora coughed and shakily took the diamond out of his pocket and passed it to Minnie.

"We found the diamond."

Minnie nodded and said, "Kairi please come with me for a moment we don't have much time."

Kairi glanced at Sora for a moment and followed Minnie near the Cornerstone.

Riku helped Sora sit up and looked at him worriedly.

* * *

><p>Minnie passed the diamond to Kairi.<p>

"What do I do?" Kairi asked.

Minnie began to quickly explain, "Cover the Deep Sea Diamond with both hands and focus your light into it. Believe you can and you will. The light of a princess of heart is one of the most powerful forces out there."

Kairi looked slightly unsure but began to try it.

She covered the diamond with both hands and shut her eyes. She focused on things that were positive and wanted that positive energy to fill the diamond.

At first she couldn't feel anything particularly special that was light. But as she searched her heart for things that gave her light. Only one name popped up.

_Sora._

Suddenly filled with happiness and memories of him. It was almost overwhelming.

Minnie saw a light glowing from with her hands. "Kairi, you did it!"

Kairi's eyes snapped open and opened up her hands to see the glowing diamond. It was full of light.

She passed the diamond to Minnie and Minnie created a small magic orb around the diamond.

Minnie carried it to the Cornerstone and began to push it in. As soon as it had contact the Cornerstone lit up like a fire of streaming lights.

Waves of light pulsed through the castle.

Mickey still fighting heartless saw the light pulsing and the heartless vanished.

He smiled, "They did it!" And began heading for the throne room.

Everyone looked in awe as the light pulsed. Sora was suddenly disturbed by a voice,

_"No escape."_

Before he had time to react to the voice, he felt himself being sucked away within himself. His body went limp. Riku suddenly felt the extra weight from supporting Sora.

He then looked like as if cradling Sora's body. No one noticed at the time since the light was still pulsing through the air. When it stopped by Riku's voice fretted,

"Sora? Wake up! Sora!"

* * *

><p><strong>Sora can't catch a break can he? Want more chapters updated fast?<strong>

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	24. A Decision

**I do not own KH.**

* * *

><p>Donald took one look at Sora and reassured, "Don't worry. He just pushed himself a bit to far. He'll wake up later, this way he'll hopefully get more rest."<p>

Unfortunately they did not know what was really going in Sora's heart.

Riku let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, "Thank goodness."

All he had really done these days was worry about Sora.

The King came running in shortly after. Donald and Goofy explained what happened. Minnie approached the king after the explanation.

"Mickey I'm..." She began but trailed off.

He understood and said, "You have nothing to be sorry for. This was no ones fault Minnie. Xehanort and Maleficent are a big threat but the Cornerstone is powerful enough to repel their darkness now. I will return once they're gone. I promise."

With that he nuzzled noses with Minnie. Everyone else couldn't help but smile at the royal couple.

Kairi suddenly felt an ominous chill. She turned for a moment and she could have sworn she heard a whisper coming from Sora.

At that moment Riku snapped Kairi out of her thoughts as he picked Sora up.

"We should get back to Yen Sid." They nodded and they all politely bowed to Minnie as they left.

While walking with the now empty halls, Kairi couldn't help but feel something was off.

* * *

><p>Sora faced a hooded figure. He called out,<p>

"Xehanort?"

The hooded man did not say a word, but summoned a keyblade. Sora recognized it. Sora tried to summon his but it didn't work.

"What?" Sora exclaimed trying to summon it.

Sora stopped and looked at the hooded man. He had the great X-Blade.

How could he possibly fight him.

* * *

><p>Where Sora was in his dive to heart. But not exactly as he would have thought.<p>

Xehanort stood stroking the darkness sphere Sora was in. It hovered off the ground and Sora looked like he was getting weaker by the second.

Ventus and Vanitas stood keyblade in hand.

"What do you want, Xehanort!?" Ventus yelled.

Xehanort chuckled and replied, "The X-Blade of course."

"Why Sora? What are you doing to him?" Vanitas asked angrily.

Xehanort smirked,

"It's none of your concern. Even if you do manage to rescue him. The darkness would blow you away deep in his heart and trap you. All of this wouldn't have been possible without you Vanitas."

Ventus and Vanitas looked with confusion.

Xehanort continued, "I fused my darkness with your own. And when you fused with Sora. Well. It couldn't have been more perfect."

Vanitas' face fell. With that Xehanort began to vanish in darkness. Ventus dashed at him with his keyblade and just as he swung, Xehanort vanished.

Ventus afterwards started hitting the orb Sora was in, not a dent was made. Ventus stopped for a moment and called out,

"Vanitas, come and help me!"

It snapped Vanitas out of his daze and he joined Ventus in hitting the orb with their keyblades.

While hitting it Vanitas said, "If we do get Sora out of this, we won't be able to help him again if Xehanort was right and he'll be alone."

Ventus took another swing and responded, "He's never alone. And Sora's strong. So are his friends. Even if we can't protect, they will."

With that they started pounding among the orb harder than before.

* * *

><p>Sora dodged the strikes of the blade, still trying to summon his keyblade.<p>

"Why won't it work." Sora muttered to himself.

The hooded man lifted the X-Blade up. A large gust of wind was summoned and blew Sora making him tumble.

The hooded man approached Sora letting the X-Blade vanish as he went next to Sora.

Sora quickly got up and was now face to face with him. The hooded figure took off his hood.

"No..." Sora shook his head.

"Yes. I'm you. Or rather representing the darkness in you." The figure was himself.

"The message stands too."

Sora asked, "What message?"

"The power of the X-Blade when in your possession. The power. And that you can't fight your darkness."

"I can try."

His other self smirked, "And fail. If you won't give in Xehanort will attack your weaknesses."

Sora looked at him confused and asked, "What weaknesses?"

"Your friends. You care about them and that's what makes you weak."

"Your wrong!" Sora snapped.

"I'm right and you know it. Your darkness has gotten so strong Xehanort can now track you, where ever you are."

"Your lying." Sora stated not believing it.

His other self just continued, "We'll make you give in. Starting with the princess."

Sora glared at him and growled, "You won't touch her!"

"I won't. Xehanort will, and get rid of her for good. Then Riku. Then Donald,. Then Goofy."

Before he could list anymore people Sora yelled, "That's enough!"

And he finally managed to summoned his keyblade and tried to swing at his darkness. But he was gone. Sora fell to his knees and slammed his fist on the surface. Darkness began seeping from the edges of the dive to heart.

He couldn't give in, but he couldn't let his friends get hurt. But then again if he did what would really happen and he was very tired. No! He couldn't, could he? Sora was on the very verge of giving up.

_"Sora!"_

_"Sora!"_

* * *

><p>Vanitas and Ventus began to crack the shell of the orb. To have more power they swung at the same time.<p>

After three strokes a large crack was made. They looked at each other and both pulled back their keyblades and struck with a final blow. A bright light began to engulf their sight.

They both called out,

"Sora!"

"Sora!"

The light settled and Sora stood confused.

"What?" He asked.

Vanitas and Ventus' feet began to show darkness eating at them, slowly making them sink.

Ventus quickly said, "Sora we don't have enough time, we managed to get you out now but now we won't be able to help anymore."

Sora nodded watching in shock as they were now waist deep.

Vanitas then said, "We'll try and fight our way back up. Don't give up and I'm sorry."

With that the two disappeared. Sora was confused why Vanitas apologized. One thing Sora knew is that he had to protect his friends. He was then sucked back to the world of awakening.

* * *

><p>Sora was awake but kept his eyes shut, he over heard talking.<p>

"So Maleficent is back this is troubling indeed."

It was Yen Sid, he must have been in his study. For what he was planning, it was either now or never.

_Forgive me! _He thought before he began.

He swiftly summoned his keyblade and lifted it yelling, "Stopaga!"

Everyone froze about to look at Sora. He had re-learned the spell before he had done the mark of mastery exam.

He knew it wouldn't hold them all for long, he bolted to go outside. Yen Sid thawed out as soon as Sora ran out the door.

He quickly did a spell that thawed out the others as soon as they regained motion, Yen Sid pointed at the door and they understood the message.

Sora was about to raise his keyblade towards the keyhole to leave but he was stopped by Riku's voice,

"And where do you think your going?"

Sora replied with no emotion, "Somewhere."

"And where's that?" Riku asked as everyone looked at Sora confused.

Sora turned towards them, "Like I would tell you."

"Why are you acting like this?" Mickey asked.

Sora pushed all his might to say the next words, "Why must you get in my way."

Riku shook his, "Sora tell us what's going on." He didn't believe that he would say any of this.

Sora wanted so badly to tell them, but it couldn't come out. Xehanort didn't lie when he said he couldn't talk about it.

He kept up his act, "I need to go by myself. Alone."

"Where Sora? Your not making any sense. Tell us what's wrong." Kairi fretted as she put a hand on his shoulder.

He wanted nothing more to apologize and tell them but they would be in more danger. And the longer he stayed the more Xehanort would try and use them as bait.

_Please forgive me, Kairi._ He thought as he did something that would shock everyone.

"I've had enough! I don't need your help or sympathy! Stay out of it and don't follow me! Any of you! Or I will turn you all into heartless, I swear!"

Everyone's jaws dropped at that last sentence. Kairi retreated back. What had gotten into him?

Riku defended, "What has gotten into?" He tried to grab Sora's shoulders but Sora used all his might and pushed him over.

With that Sora swiftly pointed his keyblade at the keyhole and vanished in a few seconds before Riku could get back up.

Sora just thought to himself in the pathways,

_"I'm sorry guys, but this the way it has to be. Though it kills me inside for saying all that stuff."_

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><p><strong>Want more? Please Review!<strong>_  
><em>


	25. Burden Part 1

**I do not own KH.**

* * *

><p>Sora wandered around the pathways not knowing where he was going. His words he had said. They weren't completely his.<p>

His darkness helped with the words, he didn't realize until after he had left. He had terrible thoughts running through his head as he spoke to Riku.

His thoughts were as close to as wanting to hurt him. He didn't seem to recall the the thoughts or what he exactly said until he had left.

Perhaps it was getting to him. He would never want to hurt Riku, would he?

He saw a world. He knew where. And he decided to go there.

* * *

><p>The shock of Sora saying all that and leaving, Kairi was the most shocked out of everyone. Everyone in silence, until Lea exclaimed,<p>

"What was that all about?"

Riku got to his feet and stared at the keyhole and answered,

"I have no clue."

Donald tried to find an explanation, "Maybe the poison got to his head."

Riku sighed, "We should go after-"

He was cut off

"You should leave him alone for a while."

It was Yen Sid. This was the first time anyone had ever seen him outside. He continued,

"He obviously doesn't want to be followed. I need to tell you something that may shed some light on the subject."

Riku growing slightly frustrated asked, "What is it?"

"Sora accepted Vanitas in his heart."

They all exclaimed, "What?"

Yen Sid continued, "I told him that I would tell you if the occasion called for it. That should be a start."

"Maybe Vanitas took over Sora again!" Donald suggested.

"No, it was Sora. And that wasn't pretend anger. That was real. He doesn't want to be found. But if it was an issue with Vanitas we could have helped him earlier if he told us."

Riku was getting frustrated, why didn't Sora just tell them?

Mickey finally spoke, "You have to remember Riku. Sora might be in a situation that he can't tell us."

Riku snorted trying to sound frustrated. Kairi understood and saw through his act. Riku was so worried about Sora. Riku was generally annoyed with Sora at that moment.

Not angry just annoyed. He didn't understand what Sora was doing.

Kairi would have wanted to be mad but she couldn't she knew that Sora wasn't himself. She couldn't help but think if it were connected to when she felt the strange feeling coming from Sora earlier.

"We have to follow him." Kairi announced. All unsure eyes fell on her. Yen Sid raised an eye brow at her.

She continued, "I can see right through him. He's trying to protect us."

Everyone came to this realization when Kairi said it. Riku nodded, he figured it out before and said,

"I know Kairi, but if he wants us to stay away. It would be for a good reason."

Kairi replied, "Would. Doesn't mean it is. If he is trying to protect us then he forgets we can defend ourselves. We should at least follow him without him knowing."

It was a sneaky idea and dangerous.

Riku looked unsure and turned his head to Yen Sid. He gave a small nod and Riku understood.

"Be prepared Kairi. If your right, we'll have to be on our guard."

Riku honestly wanted to leave Sora so he could come to his senses on his own, but Kairi was right. What about he was in danger. But what if they were truly in danger.

"I'm coming too." Lea smirked.

Riku rolled his eyes. "Let's go through the pathways. The Gummi Ship will be noticed too quickly."

Lea and Kairi nodded.

Donald and Goofy looked worried. Kairi whispered to them, "Don't worry. We'll make sure he's okay."

With that the three left. Kairi knew that Sora was trying to keep them from danger, but she would prefer to know what and why from Sora himself. The three knew that what they were doing was stupid, but what Sora was doing was also stupid.

* * *

><p>"Where do you think he is?" Kairi asked as they saw glimpses of worlds.<p>

"He obviously wants time to himself to think. I have a hunch."

It was strange having Lea suggest something about Sora. But they followed him.

* * *

><p>He wandered around. It saddened his heart. The people were still stone. He made a mental note to make sure Kairi tried and release them.<p>

Sora didn't know why but he was drawn to the clock tower above the station. He sat their alone and began to think about his whole mess and all his thoughts of the darkness. He couldn't figure out what to do.

He began to talk to himself,

"I should keep moving worlds. Their probably already on my trail."

He knew them too well. He figured that Kairi would be persistent and convince the others to follow. As he stood he saw a heartless running.

Sora looked at it curiously and he quickly got down and began to follow it. It ran through the area of trees until it lead him to the abandoned mansion.

He had a minor flashback from when he woke up in the pod and began to venture with Donald and Goofy.

Back then everything seemed easier. Everything was a mess now, more than back then.

He stared at the mansion, he would have to go in sooner or later.

* * *

><p>Just as Sora ran out of the station area, Kairi, Lea and Riku just arrived outside the station. They just missed him.<p>

"Are you sure he'll be here?" Kairi asked.

"Sort of." He answered back with an unsure expression. The whole time they had left, Riku had been really quiet. He hadn't said a word.

They made their way to to the sandlot. Stone figures stood around.

"Maybe..." Kairi thought out loud. She summoned her keyblade and pointed her keyblade towards a random stone person and tried to release them.

But it failed.

"Why didn't work?" Kairi asked.

Riku finally spoke up, "Maybe we need to defeat Xehanort for them to be released."

"But she got you out." Lea pointed out.

Riku nodded, "But I wasn't a stone for long. Maybe there's a time limit on how long light can destroy the shell."

The theory was correct and they all understood. Kairi frowned at not being able to help them.

Suddenly like a dog, Riku could smell something in the air.

"Darkness."

Riku bolted but was closely followed by Kairi and Lea. When Riku paused they watched him stare at a mansion.

"Riku?" Kairi asked.

He had flashbacks from when he helped Ansem return Sora's memories by keeping Roxas in the other Twilight Town.

"It's in there. Keep your guard up."

* * *

><p>As Sora entered he took a few steps and suddenly heartless popped from the shadows. He took them out like nothing.<p>

Suddenly some sort of force pinned Sora to the wall on the left.

A figure stepped from the shadows. It wasn't Xehanort.

"Why what do we have here?"

It was Braig.

"How did you find me?" Sora choked trying to fight back the force.

"You're on our radar now kid. There is no escape."

Sora struggled and spat, "When I find Xehanort. I will destroy you and him."

Braig smirked, "Oooo That was a little dark even for you. So I'm going to ask you nicely once. Come with me or I'll hurt your friends."

Sora thought he had the upper hand, "They're not here."

"Oh really?" Braig laughed and just then the three ran in.

"Sora!"

Sora could barely turn his head, Kairi, Riku and Lea had come. The only thought he had was, _"No!"_

Braig raised his hand and loads of heartless appeared and began to attack them.

"Nice isn't it. Maleficent taught me a few tricks."

Braig enjoyed watching the three fight them and he summoned more and more heartless. Sooner or later it was going to overwhelm them.

They finished off their fifth round of heartless. But they all got dog piled and couldn't move.

"Another round?" Braig laughed.

"Leave them alone!" Sora yelled still stuck to the wall.

"Time to choose." Braig snapped his fingers and more heartless began to dog pile them and some other heartless were preparing to rip out their hearts.

Sora couldn't do anything in a few more minutes they could be gone. He wanted to yell at them for following but he would have done the same. He was too weak. He felt nothing more than a burden.

"Wait, maybe I'll do the princess myself."

"Don't touch her!" Lea and Riku yelled in unison.

He was getting closer, he reached out his hand to touch her.

"Leave her alone." Sora managed to whisper out, but no one heard.

He felt something within him rising and building. Voices repeated in his head,_ "Give in,Give in, Give in, Give in, Give in!"_

He tried to hold it back but the cage he tried pushing it back in burst. And he snapped.

"I said leave her alone!" This time it sounded frightening. Like it wasn't Sora. But someone more sinister.

Before Braig could turn, Sora lifted his hand and Braig went flying back.

Sora then raised his hand to the heartless and they shriveled to nothing.

Riku, Kairi and Lea got up as soon as the heartless disappeared.

"Sora?" Kairi asked from a distance.

Sora stood in dead silence. His hair covered his eyes.

The three gasped as darkness began to leak out of him.

* * *

><p><strong>Is Sora still Sora? Want to know? Please Review!<strong>


	26. Burden Part 2

**I do not own KH**

**I just want to thank all you reviewers and readers! You guys are just too AWESOME!**

* * *

><p>Sora lifted up his arm towards them. They all flinched preparing themselves for a hit but instead heard a loud sound. Sora had used the power to create some sort of wall between them.<p>

Riku immediately tried to break it. But he was failing.

Sora ignored them.

"Get up!" Sora coldly demanded at Braig.

Braig got up and smirked as darkness poured out of Sora.

"Have you realized? The power of darkness."

Sora replied emotionless, "I have realized that I must finish you. Your more trouble then your worth."

He lifted his hand and Braig was choked by Sora's power.

Braig thought many things as Sora was doing this,

_"His power of darkness is the most powerful, I've ever seen. And barely any of that darkness now is Xehanort. This kid is definitely something else."_

The wall barrier was sound proof. The three were constantly yelling at Sora to stop.

Sora wanted to see the life drown out of his face. _"Yes good Sora, destroy him."_

"No,What am I doing?" He snapped out of it. Sora knew those thoughts weren't his own. Well not completely

The darkness around him began to fade and Braig was no longer being strangled.

Sora out of the confusion yelled at Braig, "You tell Xehanort that I'm coming for him. Where ever he is. I'll find him."

Braig gave a laugh in return, "Well you remember what he told you." Braig looked at the three eavesdropping at the conversation.

Even though on Sora's side he couldn't here them. They could here him and Braig.

He summoned a dark pathway and entered. Sora waited for him to leave and glanced at his friends. The barrier began to disappear.

Kairi looked like she was going to run towards him but Sora yelled, "NO! Don't come any closer to me."

"What is going on? We want the truth. Roxas."

Sora somewhat flinched. It made him wonder if Roxas was in his heart fighting with Ventus and Vanitas.

He shook his head, "It's best you just leave me alone."

"Sora tell us now!" Riku demanded.

Like a switch something changed.

"Sora..." Sora repeated. He continued, "What makes you think he's even still here?"

The three flinched. "Sora you have tell us. " Riku tried to reach out again.

Yet again a switch was flicked and Sora confessed,

"Darkness. It's gotten to me because of Xehanort. He wants me to give in and to do that he said he would hurt you. All of you."

Sora was surprised. He could actually speak of it now. Maybe it was because what he had done before. He barely remembered now that he thought of it.

"Sora. Why didn't you tell us before? We can fight you know." Riku responded.

"That's not the point Riku. I couldn't speak of it until now. And the more you are around me. The more you are prone to risk. And you saw what happened before. I'm losing it. I can't be around you if I suddenly go dark side. The threat is not just Xehanort now. It's me too. This is my burden that none of you can shoulder with me."

Sora paused for a moment before it could sink in and what he said next shocked everyone.

"I'm becoming just like Xehanort."

Kairi finally spoke up, "You are nothing like him! And we face danger at every turn."

She took a few small step towards him.

Riku continued from that, "If darkness is the problem Sora. We can handle it together."

He took more steps than Kairi and extended his hand towards Sora.

Lea nodded at Sora to take his hand.

Sora was unsure and made his decision.

"No. It's not safe for any of you."

Riku sighed, "I'll knock you out if I have to Sora. We are strong."

He stared at Riku's hand and grabbed hold of it.

* * *

><p>Suddenly he heard a smashing sound. Followed by a yell,<p>

"Sora, It's not real!"

Sora flinched at what was truly there. A transparent Xehanort stood where Riku was holding out his hand and the real Riku went keyblade in hand to attack him.

Just as he attacked Xehanort, he vanished in darkness.

"Dammit!" Riku muttered.

Kairi and Lea came running moments after.

"What?" Was the only thing Sora could say.

Lea began to give a brief explanation,

"We got to the mansion but we couldn't get in their was some sort of barrier. We managed to destroy the barrier outside and get in but another barrier stopped us from getting near you. Then you went all dark side, you got back control and Braig went away and then you starting talking to yourself. Then Xehanort appeared and we managed to break the barrier before he could do what ever he was going to do."

Sora managed to absorb all the information.

"Did you hear what I said?" Sora asked looking down. He couldn't look them in the eyes.

"Yes." Kairi mumbled quietly. "Do you really think your a burden?"

Sora still looking down nodded.

"Are you that stupid?" Riku growled.

Riku continued as his voice rose, "You may think that but we don't. Did you think I was a burden when I gave into the darkness and when you saved me?"

Sora mumbled, "No."

Riku replied, "I can't hear you."

Sora made his reply much louder, "No."

Riku began to make his point, "We can do this together Sora. If Xehanort wants to get you, he has to get through us first. He tried tricking you because he knows you're stronger than he is. He tried getting to you with using darkness before, but you took back control. And if you lose control again, we'll be the ones to bring you back."

Sora shook his head, "Either way I could still hurt. My darkness has been disturbed. This has caused a major imbalance within me. At the moment my heart isn't stable."

Everyone was surprised at how smart Sora sounded when he said that. But that was the least thing on their minds.

Riku sighed, "Sora. Look at me. Hey, look at me!"

Sora slowly lifted his head to look face to face with Riku.

"That's another reason why you should stay around us. You're just going to get more hurt alone and we'll make sure you don't hurt us."

"I'm just a burden. Your situation was different Riku. The difference is that you didn't know any better. I gave in knowing the consequences."

Kairi squeezed herself into the conversation, "Sora that wasn't you. Xehanort was manipulating you. I've felt like a burden to you in Riku for a longtime. But I'm not anymore. You are not a burden because none of this your fault. And you said that you had to shoulder it alone. Then we'll lighten the weight."

Lea nodded at Kairi's metaphor. She grabbed Sora's hand she almost flinched. It was as cold as ice. Something was wrong.

"Xehanort can track me." Sora confessed.

Lea replied to the statement, "Ha! Let him come. We'll kick his butt. Right Ro- I mean Sora."

Sora sighed, "You're not going to let me say no, are you?"

Riku grinned, "Nope."

Sora sighed again, "To bad I can't."

"Why not?" Riku asked as his grin disappeared.

Sora removed his hand away from Kairi's.

"I'm a lingering image of Sora. Lingering darkness from when he let some of it slip. Xehanort already took him and what you saw before was just a replay of what happened before you came here. Xehanort mustered up the rest of the darkness around here and created me to distract you long enough so you couldn't track where they had taken Sora. But the responses I gave to you were ones the real Sora would have used, just so you wanted to know."

Riku felt his anger bubble but before he could angrily swing at the illusion of Sora, it disappear.

"Dammit Sora!" Riku let his fist hit the ground. "No...Please don't give in."

* * *

><p>"I will find a way out, Xehanort!" Sora yelled as Xehanort disappeared.<p>

He was a world of nothing but darkness.

Xehanort's voice was heard around him, "I will break you, boy! The darkness in this realm I created will show you the inner truths of your heart. And no one can open the door to this world. Only servants of true darkness can."

Sora grunted angrily, how could he have fallen for such a stupid trick!

But Xehanort left out one detail. A loop hole in making the world. He was correct only servants of true darkness could open up the world's door, but a person with no darkness could open it as well.

Darkness was already beginning to take grasp of his mind. Preparing to break down his mind to insanity, to break down his heart to give in.

Sora had a strong will, but this would be the ultimate test to see how long he could endure.

* * *

><p><strong>Sora's trapped! And yes earlier this chapter when Sora uses the darkness to choke Braig, I couldn't help but think about calling him Darth Sora. LOL.<strong> **And I know this chapter is sorta confusing. It's kinda like inception. But this is my way of putting in a nice twist, instead of Sora returning with them.**

**Want more? Please Review!**


	27. The Other

**I do not own KH**

**AN: I was going to update earlier. Sorry but last week I was on a tight schedule and I will be busy this week too. But don't worry I won't go months on end without updating this story. I just not might be able to update again this week. **

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><p>"This is going to sound weird but maybe I could smell Sora out. His darkness. It has a distinct smell. It's powerful, even though Sora was here a while ago."<p>

Lea looked at Riku like he was crazy and asked, "How can you smell darkness?"

Riku shrugged, "I've just been able to for a long time."

Kairi asked another question, "How does Sora's have a distinct smell and what exactly does darkness smell like?"

Riku sighed and thought out loud, "Most darkness smells like a fire burning something, you can't escape the smell. It's too noticeable. It's intoxicating. Sora's is. Well how do I explain it...It smells, kinda like our island but consumed with darkness."

"Our island? How?" Kairi asked

Riku shook his head, "I don't know. But all I know is that the smell is different and unmistakable. We better go hunt him down."

The three set off to find Sora yet again with Riku and his strange ability to smell darkness leading the way.

* * *

><p>Sora sat in the middle of nothing but darkness. He wanted to keep strong. He couldn't let it get to him. The only thing he could do was think.<p>

Time seemed to escape him, but it felt like days. But he wasn't sure if it was just him or the world fooling him.

He thought about his situation. He thought that as long as Xehanort had him he would leave the others out of it and he hoped that they were well away from him.

"Though I could really use some help getting out of here." Sora said out loud not talking to anyone in particular. He stood up and began to wonder around.

He thought that maybe if he could find the end of the world he could think of a new plan then.

Sora kept walking and walking. There was no true end to this world. When he took another step his foot was engulfed by water.

He quickly retreated his foot backwards and looked down. He saw his reflection with the water infront of him.

Sora sighed and as he was about to turn back he heard a voice, "Pathetic!"

"Huh?" Sora asked as he turned back around and he looked back to the water.

"Since when were you so needy to your friends? You really are their burden."

Sora blinked hard. His reflection was talking to him. But he sat next to the water and looked to his reflection and spoke to it as if it were normal,

"I already know that. But at least their safe."

"Are you sure about that, Sora?"

Sora looked slightly surprised and asked his reflection,

"What do you mean?"

His reflection had a short laugh and replied, "You think Xehanort is going to spare them if they come looking for you? They're already searching for you. Even though it is impossible to find or escape here. If they get too close. Well I'll let you think of the details."

Suddenly Sora's head filled with the screams of his friends. Sora covered his eyes. Over the screams he heard his reflection say,

"You can't runaway anymore. You have to face the decision. Give in to the darkness in your heart or watch your friends die."

His reflection's eyes changed to a pitch black and he grinned like a fox.

Sora saw and he fiercely shook his head and yelled, "No!" He slapped the water with much force causing the water to ripple. The screams stopped and his reflection had returned to normal.

Sora sat there in nothing but silence. He then stood up and turned around and began to walk the other way. Deep down he knew that there was some truth to what his reflection had said.

"Sora."

Sora turned towards the voice. He shook his head.

"No you are just an illusion." He muttered looking away from the familiar face.

* * *

><p>The trio was about to enter the pathways to look for Sora. They were back at the station and they heard a familiar voice,<p>

"Wait you guys!"

They all turned to the voice.

"Mickey? What are you doing here?" Riku asked.

Mickey caught his breath for a moment and explained, "Yen Sid wanted me to tell you something he found out."

* * *

><p><em>Flashback...<em>

_Yen Sid looked at the stars they told many things. To Yen Sid they all whispered to him. He suddenly gasped._

_"Mickey. Please come into my study."_

_He used some sort of magic to make his voice heard by the others outside._

_"I wonder what it is now." Mickey stated as he made his way back to the study as Donald and Goofy looked slightly worried._

_"What is it master Yen Sid?" Mickey asked as Yen Sid looked troubled._

_"The stars tell many things about many worlds, King Mickey. But this time they tell me something that even I didn't know was possible."_

_Mickey looked slightly confused. Yen Sid continued, "I have gathered knowledge to believe that Xehanort has created his own world out of the ridges of the pathways in darkness."_

_"What?" Mickey exclaimed. _

_"I thought I've sensed something strange for a while now, but I assumed it was just the strife Xehanort was causing. But now I know that it is powerful magic."_

_"What kind of magic?" Mickey asked._

_Yen Sid replied, "Very old and powerful magic. Used with the power of darkness. I believe that he has created something known in the old books as the 'Other', Until now I wasn't sure if it existed."_

_"The other?"_

_Yen Sid nodded, "It was said that back in the first keyblade war. Dark keyblade wielders that had powerful darkness could create these worlds to trap keyblade wielders of light within. After the spell was cast on the world it would become a prison. It would drive even the most powerful keyblade wielders mad with darkness. It would break down their heart into darkness and it would break their willpower in minutes. But minutes here feel like days within there. It would also drive them to insanity."_

_Mickey absorbed this information and stood with slight shock._

_Yen Sid added a key factor, "Only servants or pawns of true darkness can open and close the world."_

_Mickey sighed. If someone got trapped in their, they wouldn't be able to help._

_But hope shined as Yen Sid continued, "And those with no darkness in their hearts."_

_"Kairi." Mickey muttered._

* * *

><p>"Did Yen Sid say anything else about it? Like where to find it?" Riku asked frantically.<p>

Mickey had to think for a moment and replied, "He said this. 'To find it. Is not to see with open eyes.'"

"What?" Lea asked as Kairi and Riku also thought the same.

"That's what he said the stars told him. Even though it may not have sense now. It will. We must have faith. And we better go looking now for Sora, before it's too late."

Riku sighed, of course Mickey could tell why he was in panic.

"Won't Yen Sid want you back at the tower?" Kairi asked

Mickey shook his head, "Yen Sid said if the circumstances called for it, I could help you. Because it's not just getting Sora back now. It's saving him before it's too late."

* * *

><p>"What's the matter?"<p>

"I know you are not real. Kairi would not be here." Sora yelled and the illusion of Kairi.

The copy of Kairi sighed and approached Sora, "Sora. Even if I'm not the real Kairi. The real Kairi would say what I'm about to."

Sora felt like his feet were glued to the ground and he couldn't move as the 'Kairi' moved closer.

"What are you so afraid of the darkness for?" She asked. She sounded and looked so much like Kairi it made Sora's heart ache.

She continued, "Is it that your afraid that you might hurt your friends?"

At this stage she was face to face with Sora.

"You can feel it though, can't you? Your darkness is more powerful than even the all powerful Xehanort. Why not use the power of darkness to take him down. You have the power, yet you choose to hold back. Why is that?"

She put her hand against Sora's cheek. Sora pushed her arm away and said,

"Only the real Kairi can do that. Your hand is warm, but it's nothing like her's."

The other Kairi sighed and stated, "You love her, don't you?"

Sora flinched at the statement. He never really thought of the 'L' word. But deep down he knew he did.

The other Kairi gave a graceful frown and said, "If you really want to keep her safe and you have the power. Why don't you destroy Xehanort with that power? Kairi would be safe, Riku would be safe. Everyone would be safe."

Sora admitted to the other Kairi, "Because if I do, I'll lose myself to it. That much I can tell."

"But wouldn't it be worth it just vanishing into to nothing so her and all the worlds will be saved?"

Sora looked up to look at the other Kairi, but she was gone.

He could move his feet once again. Sora thought about the final question the fake Kairi had said.

He didn't realize it but he was beginning to crack.

* * *

><p><strong>Will they find Sora before he cracks and loses his mind? Or more importantly himself?<strong>

**Please Review!**


	28. Beginning of Insanity

**I do not own KH.**

**Hi! I've updated again. Since it's getting close to Christmas I'm sorry but I'm going to be busy but I'm hoping to get another chapter this week.**

**I want to thank all who reviewed and my faithful readers. You guys are too AWESOME!**

* * *

><p>Sora sat in the darkness rocking slightly as three copies of himself held hands around him and jumped in a circle laughing. Each of the 'clones' had different coloured clothing.<p>

One was red, one was blue and the other was yellow.

They stopped jumping and the red one extended a hand to Sora,

"Come join us Sora, it's fun."

Sora ignored him, he kept staring into nothing. They had been bothering him for a long time now, they would disappear and reappear. They would normally taunt him about his friends trying to get

He didn't know how long he was there for.

Even though it was a long time, Sora still had hope.

The blue one frowned and said, "Sora, you can talk to us. It's not like talking to us is going to cause you suddenly to go dark side."

The yellow one nodded in agreement, "We're just in your head really."

Sora looked up confused and the three laughed at him. The three of them said in unison,

"Yep. You're losing your mind."

Sora looked down and shook his head and repeated to himself, "Go away. Go away. Go away. Go away."

He squeezed his eyes shut and when he opened them, the three were gone.

Silence did nothing but fill the dark. Sora was growing tried of Xehanort's tricks. Sora's anger finally popped. He summoned his keyblade and started thrashing about.

He swung it around in mid air, he attacked the surface he stood on but all of it was no use. Sora did this to what to him felt like hours. He ran around like a mad man and swung his keyblade from the ground the emptiness. Sora yelled and yelled, even though Xehanort might not hear his threats, he didn't really care. He just needed to vent his frustration at something.

Eventually while hitting the ground Sora collapsed to his knees with exhaustion. Sora breathed heavily to catch his breath that he hadn't realized he was losing.

He stood up straight a bit too quickly and tried attacking the ground again, but after two slow swings he fell to his knees again.

Sora yelled as he looked up, "Is this what you want? Huh?"

Suddenly Sora just began to laugh. It didn't sound like his normal laugh, it sounded insane.

When he stopped laughing after many minutes Sora yelled, "Coward!"

Sora didn't even realized that he just laughed insanely.

Though Sora felt no different and thought he was sane, he was barely keeping it together.

* * *

><p>Sora was losing his mind, but he wasn't accepting the darkness like all the others.<p>

Xehanort was watching from some sort of orb of darkness, what Sora was doing. Braig was also watching.

"Well that took a while for that kid to lose his head, but why isn't he giving in? Wouldn't most guys give in to darkness by now?"

Sora had been in there for about an hour in real time. Which would have been weeks in there. An average keyblade wielder back in the first keyblade war would have broke down in minutes. But Sora. He was different.

Xehanort nodded, "The boy's mind is affected but not his heart and will power. His heart knows to reject the darkness at all cost and use the power of light. The boy's heart is stronger than I thought. But no matter. Now that he's lost his mind, his heart should begin to weaken enough so we can do what we have planned."

Braig smirked and looked back to the orb to see Sora talked to something that wasn't there.

Sora just yelled at it to go away because it wasn't real. He was right. Sora was going insane. But he was still sane, barely.

* * *

><p>The gang were at the ridges of the worlds and could go no further. The ridges had a surface so they landed and began to look for a keyhole or portal.<p>

Everyone was running around while Kairi just walked. After a few minutes of looking Riku asked Kairi,

"Are you okay? It's doesn't even seem like your worried?" Everyone else had also noticed that Kairi was unusually calm.

Kairi blurted out, "Of course I'm worried. The worry is killing me. But acting on a clouded head, won't help us find him."

Riku nodded. She was right. Kairi was always wise, it was one of her princess like traits.

"Hey Mickey, how did the old man tell us to find it again?"

Mickey looked to Lea and answered, "To find it, is not to see with open eyes."

"So your eyes can't lie!" Riku smiled as the answered kicked him.

"Riku?" Kairi asked.

"We all have to close our eyes the entrance will be revealed because our hearts will be able to see it."

"Great thinkin' Riku!" Mickey nodded. With that the four closed their eyes.

To everyone's surprise within the first seconds of shutting their eyes Lea shouted out, "Found it!"

Everyone's eyes snapped open and they all asked, "Where?"

Lea took a step back from where he was and replied, "Right infront of me." He reached out his hand and suddenly the door became visible. he took his hand off a whistled.

"You can feel that darkness from that world from the door. I don't like it."

The door was completely a dark shade of purple and it had a keyhole large enough to fit a keyblade. The door was only just taller than Riku and Lea.

Kairi pointed her keyblade towards the door. Nothing happened.

"Shouldn't something happen?" Kairi asked.

Riku took a good look at the door. "I think for this door you need to manually put you keyblade in the keyhole and turn it, remember Kairi to fill your light with the keyblade."

Kairi looked a bit unsure and asked, "What if my light isn't strong enough?"

"Don't think like that Kairi, you're a princess of light. Your light is stronger than ant darkness." Mickey stated.

Kairi took a deep breath, with renewed faith in herself.

_'I'm coming Sora.'_

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><p>Braig could sense it as well as Xehanort.<p>

"I guess we need to do it now." Xehanort smirked.

Braig opened up a pathway for his master and they both entered.

Preparing to 'visit' Sora. Thus beginning the race to Sora.

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><p><strong>Want more? Please Review! :D<strong>


	29. Insanity Takes It's Course

**I do not own KH**

**IMPORTANT:**

**Okay guys this is the last chapter of the YEAR! I will return with this story after new years. I love all you readers and reviewers. You guys are AWESOME.**

**Off subject: Have any of you seen 'Rise of the Guardians'? I LOVE it!**

**I was getting pumped for writing this chapter while eating sea salt icecream. (YUM!)**

**Anyways Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! **

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><p>Sora sat in one spot rocking. In a somewhat hope of rocking the madness from his mind. But that idea could only come from a mad man. He was insane. But he was just sane enough to know it himself.<p>

Many things began to slip away from him, faces and names. But he knew if he heard them he would remember. The darkness caused his chain of memories in his heart to alter themselves with the madness.

But his memories were beginning to wrap. But he held on. To what he did not know and he remembered he needed to get back to someone. Someone very important, a girl.

What he knew for sure was that he had many friends and they fought with him against Xehanort and the darkness.

The lack of memory and the disorientation of what memories he had left didn't alarm him. It felt normal after a while, or maybe that was just the madness.

But he was holding unto snapped.

"Good evening."

He looked up it was an old man. It took a moment for him to remember it was Xehanort.

Sora leaped forward with his keyblade, trying to attack Xehanort. Even with the madness destroying his mind the keyblade was something of instinct. But he just swerved to the side easily dodging Sora. The state Sora was in made him slower and weaker.

"What do you want, Xehanort?" Sora yelled with anger.

Xehanort smirked, "What do you mean Sora? I'm here to help."

"Help?" Sora sneered. "How can you possibly help me? You're evil!"

Xehanort grinned this time, "Not anymore Sora. You've changed me. Don't you remember? I'm here to rescue you."

Sora thought for a moment and shook his head, "No, you put me here!"

"No I didn't. I put you in here to protect you. The light was going to get you."

"The light is good!" Sora tried to defend.

Xehanort looked at the boy sadly, "So they got to you? Come here. I'll show you the truth."

He extended a hand out to Sora. As a loud clicking was heard from the distance. He flash of annoyance appeared on his face for a second and disappeared as he did a hand signal to someone.

Sora didn't notice, he just stared at Xehanort's extended hand and breathed heavily. Fighting a battle within to see what Xehanort wanted to show him.

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><p>Kairi took a deep breath and shut her eyes. She let her keyblade flow with her light. Thoughts of Sora helped the light glow brighter.<p>

Her eyes snapped open with renewed determination. She began to fit her keyblade through the keyhole and began to turn.

Turning it was the hardest part. It was like all the darkness was trying to stop her light. But the longer she held on and began to turn it the 'darkness' holding the keyblade back disappeared when a loud _click_ was heard.

Suddenly the door vanished and the world was seen. It was nothing but darkness. Kairi felt an ominous wind blow through her. Something really bad was going to happen.

"What now?" She asked remembering a minute in real time was an hour there.

Mickey answered, "Since light was used to open the world, the spell of darkness has been broken. So now it is just a prison, but with normal time and the darkness won't drive us mad."

"Then what are we waiting?" Lea asked walking through the door closely followed by Riku.

They all entered and began searching calling out Sora's name.

"Sora!" Riku called.

"Not really." A voice replied from behind them.

They all summoned their keyblades. It was Braig. He put his hands up.

"Easy now, we don't want to fight now do we?"

"Where's Sora!" It wasn't a question. It was more of a demand for Braig to tell Riku.

"He's gone, we already took him."

Kairi realized something, she had a feeling he was lying and something else popped up in her head, "How did you get here? We were at the door."

Braig began to laugh, "You can't be serious!" He continued to laugh until he saw her face, "Wait you are? You really think that the only door to the world was there! Haha please. Xehanort has planted doors everywhere. You just entered the first one he made and the one we couldn't cloak."

He chuckled again and stated, "We already took your lover boy."

Kairi gave a strange, 'hmph'. "You're lying."

Braig's face at that broke away from amusement and to slight surprise, "No I'm not."

Kairi knew for sure now, "Your just here to stall us. Sora!" She went running, looking away from Braig.

Riku and Lea tried to use this opening to double team to attack Braig but he slipped away in a dark pathway just before Riku dived at him. Braig was nothing more than a coward to them.

The pair turned to see Mickey catching up to Kairi, where she stood, she did nothing but stare. Riku and Lea caught up and were shocked to what they saw.

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><p>Sora to Xehanort's somewhat happiness was about to grab his hand. But just as Sora was about to take grab his hand, Xehanort gasped.<p>

Pain in his side caused him to collasp to the ground. When he looked up he saw a purplish aura surrounding Sora and the X-Blade in his hand. Sora's eyes changed to more of a dull indigo rather than his sky blue. And the keyblade was looking imcomplete, it still had power but not at it's fullest.

Sora somewhat smirked, "Confused? You shouldn't be. I've been waiting for this chance. For a while now. You don't know how much potentional this boy has."

Xehanort held his bleeding side and asked, "Who are you?" It was more out of curiousity than anything else.

"I guess you made me. Haha, darkness and madness. Hahahahahaha!" He laughed insanely and spoke again,

"The boy, Sora. Is me. But I'm him. But I'm not really Sora now am I? Haha!"

Xehanort figured it out. The madness let darkness take over, for how long it was like this he didn't know.

"So did the boy-"

He didn't let Xehanort finish, "Give in? No. I took over because he's deep within himself trying and failing at saving what's left. What this place changed in Sora's mind, created me."

He was like the alternate Sora. A split persona of Sora. He was an opposite Sora, but still him in a way.

"Now that I'm out and CRAZY!" He did a somewhat laugh when he yelled crazy. "I'm going to take over the worlds, I see nothing, no light, no dark, only power. But first to finish you."

He lifted the X-Blade over Xehanort to finally finish him.

"Sora!"

Sora sighed frustrated. "Who ruined the mood." He turned his head and saw a girl running from a distance.

Xehanort used this chance to get away. When Sora took another look to where Xehanort was and realized he got away.

"Damn it!" He yelled as the X-Blade vanished. The girl wasn't to far away now and she stared at him. She was joined by three others. Sora knew who they were. But he didn't care. He wasn't really Sora.

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><p>The first thing they noticed was his eyes. Not the aura. The eyes. They weren't like Sora's normal eyes, Sora's was kind and friendly. But his eyes now read differently, cold and careless.<p>

"He has gotten to you, hasn't he?" Riku yelled out asking before they got any closer.

The other Sora eyed him and smirked, "Him yes. Me maybe a little. But I want him dead."

All their eyes popped at what he had said, Sora would never say that last part, even on his worst day. And the first part confused them.

The other Sora saw the flicker of confusion and replied, "If you mean your precious little Sora. He's here, but not really. Just me, that is Sora. But not really."

"Then what are you?" Lea asked with utter confusion.

"Me." Sora replied with a sneer. Now he was getting serious.

"I'm going to destroy Xehanort. After I do that I'll take over these pathetic worlds. Get in my and I'll destroy you. Regardless how important you may be to real Sora. I don't care."

This wasn't Sora and they knew that he wasn't tricked by Xehanort, but rather insanity and darkness. They didn't know what was worse. The fact that insanity drove Sora to this or because it wasn't actually Xehanort that made him into this.

The fours eyes widened as Sora opened up a dark pathway and stepped through. Leaving them alone in the dark.

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><p><strong>I hope that was a nice little tease. Don't worry the Sora we all love and know isn't lost in this new personality. He's somewhere, but you'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out.<strong>

**Please Review! :D**


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